A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 117, 10 February 1940, Page 12

A SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION

Though the outlook in the Balkans has been improved by the recent Entente talks, the situation as affecting the Near and Middle East appears to be deteriorating. Reports suggest: 1. that Turkey is suspicious of an early German or Russo-German move'in her direction; 2, that the Allies arc seeking to impress both Germany and Russia with the strength and readiness of their forces. During flic week particular and repeated attention has been drawn to (he presence of British, Indian and French troops in Egypt, Syria and elsewhere. References to the enlarged armies of adjacent neutral States have also been made. It has been revealed that Turkey has 200,001) men on her northern (Russian) border. In addition, a message from Istanbul states that the lutkish authorities have seized the German-owned Krupp shipyards on Ihe Golden Horn, dismissing German technicians; also that more Gelman residents arc departing from the country. So far Berlin is minimizing the shipyards incident. * * * * * Thus the expectation that the spring will herald a latge-scale move by Germany to break the ring encircling Iyer is as lively in the east as in the west. If he intends to act in a spectacuLu fashion. Hitler has three obvious choices: 1, a large-scale air offensive against the Allies; 2, a combined land and air attack in Hie west, either directly against France or through neutral territory; 3, an eastward advance in order to tap and drain the economic lesources of Rumania and territories beyond. , In the meantime, according to a Hungarian report, Rumania has informed Germany that she cannot supply further transport in order to increase Germany’s allocations of Carpathian oil. Her 300 State-owned railway oil wagons are “sufficient only foi home * * After 10 days the Russians arc still battering at Finland’s stout front door —the southern (Mannerheim) line. Two fresh attacks have been repulsed with considerable losses in the past hours. • . Pressure is heaviest on the right of the Mannerheim L.ne where during the week the invaders have made some progress, but the latest messages correct the previous report that the fighting had moved to within 20 miles of Viborg. Seemingly the Reds are still 25 miles from that town, and their difficulties are increasing with every yard of advance.

During the week the Western Front has been exceptionally quiet. Reports have referred only to the activity of I‘tench raiding parties which have penetrated deeply into German-held territory, securing useful information. * ■ * * * *

The German High Command has claimed that since the outbreak of war 409 Allied and neutral ships have been sunk and 354 captured. The British Admiralty figures dealing with sinking to February 4 are: British, 143: French. 14; neutral, 117; total, 274. It is also pointed out by the Admiralty that no British ot French ships have fallen into the hands of the enemy. Thus on their own claims the Nazis have pilfered more than half a million neutral tons.