GERMANY’S DRIVE TO THE EAST

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 92, 12 January 1939, Page 9

GERMANY’S DRIVE TO THE EAST

Extending Political And Economic Influence

REASSURANCES GIVEN TO POLAND By Telegraph.— Press Afsen.—Copyright. LONDON, January 10. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Warsaw correspondent .states that he is reliably informed that Colonel Beck, Polish Foreign Minister, has been reassured that Germany’s plans for East Europe are not directly hostile to Poland. This is interpreted to mean that the plans will not be hostile to Poland in their early stages.

The correspondent adds that, assuming that Mr. Chamberlain’s visit to Rome does not cause a drastic revision, Herr Hitler intends to extend German political and economic influence to the. Soviet frontier, but not across Poland, Latvia, or Estonia, in order to afford contact with Russia. The road to Bessarabia lies through Ruthenia.

It seems to be assumed that Germany’s East European plans can be realized by strong diplomacy, backed by the German propaganda machine, Herr Hitler protecting his rear by means of an air pact with Britain and France.

“The Times’s” correspondent- in Bucharest states that Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, Count Csaky, Hungarian Foreign Minister, Colonel Beck, and M. Stoyadinovich, Premier of Yugolavia, will meet shortly in Belgrade, and may conclude a “gentlemen’s agreement” beetween Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Yugoslavia, to be a substitute for the Rome protocol. He adds that Rumania is anxious to check German expansion to the southeast, and is, therefore, in favour of au agreement.

YUGOSLAVIAN TRADE OFFENSIVE

Cash Basis Preferred

LONDON, January 10.

The Belgrade correspondent of “The Times” says that trade quarters forecast the control of exports to Italy, Germany, and other countries trading with Yugoslavia on a clearing basis. It is expected to be aimed at limiting the exports to such countries of articles which could easily be sold to England, France, Belgium, Holland, or other countries trading in cash. The proposed measures are described as a trade offensive to Which Yugoslavia has been driven by the scarcity of foreign currencies and the necessity for a favourable, trade balance to service foreign credits. The German trade debt to Yugoslavia is at present £l,500,000, and the Italian debt £127,000,000. 1