A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 102, 24 January 1940, Page 10

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Last week's rumours that Germany. by arrangement with the Soviet, is moving troops into Galicia (part of Russian-occupied south Poland) have been fully confirmed. Ihe Bucharest correspondent of "The Times" of London. reports that several divisions of German troops arc in Galicia, two infantry regiments being quartered at Lwow. (See this-morning’s map.) Ostensibly the arrangement has been made to enable Germany to control the railway which runs from Rumania to the Reich, via. Galicia. German troops have arrived on the Rumanian frontier to police 200 Galician miles of the line, which is being used lor the transport of Rumanian oil, and which also taps the Polish fields. Germany, however, is suspected of having further plans. Galicia is a gateway to the Balkans, via Rumania, and the presence of far more troops than are required for the purpose of maintaining railway communication is causing grave misgivings. Recently King Carol reaffirmed his intention to maintain and if necessary defend his kingdom’s independence. He has taken the fullest military precautions, the latest move being to declare the Hungarian frontier district a military zone. At the same time there has been evidence of late that Germany is using every means to ensure Rumania’s co-operation, willing or unwilling. * * * * * References to Rumanian and Galician oil are contained in a report of a' broadcast statement by the German Ministry of Economics. After admitting the stranglehold of the British blockade, the Ministry states that sufficient oil supplies are being obtained from coal, also “from countries not reached by the blockade.” Polish supplies, it was added, are “most promising.” From Washington come more complaints of Britain’s methods of maintaining the blockade of Germany. The United States is said to be expressing serious concern over the treatment accorded American shipping in the Mediterranean, An aide memoire handed to the British Ambassador cites cases of the detention of American nationals at Gibraltar. In the same message one of the reasons for British strictness is revealed. The head of a United States corporation has frankly admitted that lie is forwarding large quantities of foodstuffs to Germany, via Holland and other neutral countries. Another formal protest lias been received by Britain—this one from Japan, as a sequel to the removal of German merchant seamen from a Japanese liner in the Pacific. A Germ,an claim that U-boats can be constructed at the rate of one a day is disbelieved by British exjieits. They say that the Nazis cannot do better than 80 a year—a figure which would not come within sight of- the present rate of losses. ♦ ♦ * ♦ * In Finland the Russians are still being hard pressed on the Salla front. They arc in retreat and are losing heavily. Red attacks on the Karelian Isthmus front have been repulsed. Finland has admitted casualties numbering since the invasion began 2500 dead and 7000 wounded. The enemy, the Finns claim, has lost 150,000, many of whom have perished from cold. Sweden’s Foreign Minister has again warned his country of the need to be in a position to back up independence with force. The defeat of Finland, lie has pointed out, would, “place Sweden in a difficult position.”