A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 105, 27 January 1940, Page 12

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

According to Paris newspapers a critical situation has developed in eastern Europe. Germany is reported to be demanding an absolute monopoly of Rumanian oil and is prepared to back the demand with force, using her troops which have, been concentrated in Galicia. One writer goes as far as to say that Germany is dclci mined to possess northern Rumania and the oil areas, thus opening the way for Hitler's long-talked of “drive to the east. He adds that Russia plans to take southern Rumania. ( 1 his last may be an eiiot in cable transmission, for the territory in which the Soviet is icputed to he interested is Bessarabia in the north-east —shown in this morning's map.) ...... The Paris correspondent of the “New 'i ork I imes enlarges on the stow. Already, he says, the Get man infiltration of Rumania has reached the proportions of an occupation; what is more, there exists a ]\tisso-Gei man arrangement cowering the Galician (Polish) oilfields, control of the railways, manganese concessions at Krivoi Rog (150 miles north-east of Odessa) and other economic benefits foi the Nazis —all these in return for assistance in the Baltic arena. Significance is lent to the foregoing reports by the fact that Moscow radio, 24 hours or so ago, announced that Russia and Get many bad “reached the fullest and most complete agreement” on foreign policy. I ■,* * * * There is no further news of the German troop concentrations along the Bailie coast of the Reich. This may have been another bullying gesture directed at the Scandinavian neutrals, but the United States Minister in Sweden has taken it seriously and is advising American nationals to leave that country. The general military position in Finland has not changed. Ihe Russian efforts to break in on the front north of Lake Ladoga continue to be frustrated, and the Mannerheim Line in the south is unbroken. In the north the Reds are being harried by the Finns, assisted by the Lapps. Aerial warfare on both sides is brisk. 7 he time is now approaching when the Finnish air force will lie augmented by British machines, and bv more volunteer pilots from several countries. Some doubt exists as to the extent to which the United States can assist with aeroplanes. American manufacturers are inundated with orders, particularly long-term French contracts. A Helsinki message states that a scheme for the large-scale evacuation of Finnish civilians to Sweden has been put in hand. I his indicates that the damage caused by repeated Red air attacks on the southern towns is heavy and the disruption of community services considerable. « * ♦ ♦ • As a reply to Mr. Winston Churchill’s recent feeding-the-crocodile speech, the Dutch Foreign Minister has reaffirmed Holland’s neutrality. Ihe Netherlands, he explains, has a duty to Europe to remain neutral.” . . . Canada is to have an immediate general election, in order that provincial critics of the Federal Government's method of prosecuting the war may be silenced, and a direct, unquestioned mandate obtained Bitterly cold conditions prevail on the Western Front, where there is little activity.