JUGOSLAVS IN NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23299, 8 April 1941, Page 6

JUGOSLAVS IN NEW ZEALAND

* REACTION TO WAR « BETTER DIE' PROUD THAN BE SLAVES” (P.S.S.) WELLINGTON, April - 7. In the Jugoslav Club in Wellington to-day, members pored over iriaps and newspapers, eagerly discussing possible early moves in the war into which Germany has plunged their country. The general feeling was one of relief that the tension was ended, and that, faced with the alternative of submission : or war, Jugoslavia had chosen war. It. was summed up by one man. He said: “Better die proud than be slaves for life. We have been slaves. We know what slavery means.” Jugoslavia had taken the only proper course in resisting Nazi aggression, said Mr T. Marinovic. That was so'for two reasons. "In the first place,” he said, “if we submitted now we would lose for ever the independence for which we fought for 100 years. In the second place, we owe a duty to the people in parts of our «country taken by Italy after the last war. If we are to do something to liberate them our chance is now. 1 ’ Mr Marinovic, who has a wide knowledge of his country, which he recently revisited, expressed confidence of ultimate victory; but said that the task ahead should hot be underestimated. In his opinion, the temporary Joss of about two-fifths of the country was almost inevitable. Jugoslavia had a fine modern army, with an excellent fighting spirit; but he did not think it was large enough tq hold up powerful German forces in the flat terrain in the north. It would probably : retreat to the mountains in the south, where the mechanised forces of the invaders would be useless, : before making a decisive stand. Help Needed The’ first move would probably be to plear the Italians out of Albania, thus releasing Greek troops to help stem the advance from the north and at the same time opening the Adriatic to Allied ships. Help would be required from Britain and her friends, particularly in the way of equipment and food. Jugoslavia’s food supply came mainly from the flat country in the north, the area Germans would probably over-run. Other valuable resources, coal, iron, copper, and lead, were in the mountains, where the enemy would have little chance of getting at them. Mr Marinovic said he considered that Germany’s declaration of war on j

Jugoslavia and Greece might well bo a deciding factor in bringing Turkey into the conflict on the side of the Allies. “If Turkey has learnt the lesson which Hitler has given to ah small nations in the last year or two, she will realise that if we are overpowered, she is next on the list, ft# said. _ The president of the club. Mr P. Franicewich, said that a meeting P* the Jugoslav community in Wellington would be held soon to consider possible ways in which they migh* help in the struggle. . , Germany’s declaration of war against them would not cool the Greek s eiy thusiasm. On the contrary, it would make them more than ever determined to fight to the end, said the Vice-Consul for Greece, Mr S. parland. “We feel that the Germans have not yet met anyone to fight them, he said. “Belgium capitulated. France' was rotten with fifth columnists; bijl now the Nazis come up agamsi Greeks, New Zealanders, Australian* and Jugoslavs. We feel that it WU> be ft different tale.”