MEN OF THE HOUR

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 157, 29 March 1941, Page 11

MEN OF THE HOUR

Premier’s Career KNOWN BRITISH SYMPATHIZER Representative Cabinet (British Official Wireless.,' (Received March 28, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, March 27. General Dusan-Simovitch, the new Yugoslav Premier, who was born in 1882, is a professional soldier who saw service throughout the 1914-18 war. 1n.1928 he became Chief of Air Force Staff and in 1938 was promoted Chief of the Great General Staff, later resigning his position after a disagreement with M. Nedie, the then Minister of War. He was reappointed to the post in 1940. He is the author of several works on tactics. He is a known sympathizer with Britain and was one of the principal organizers of the Yugoslav air force. General Simovitch is reputedly a first-class officer, but has hitherto kept ! aloof from polities. One of the first actions of the new regime was to appoint General Milotin Etefanovitch, of the genarmerie, Military Governor , of Belgrade with wide powers. He appealed to. the people to unite at the army’s side, and declared that the army was ready to defend Yugoslavia’s independence and integrity. M. Matchek, the first Vice-Premier is leader of the Croats, and the faci that he did not go to Vienna for the signing of the Axis Pact indicated thai tie was not in favour of subservience to Germany.

The second Vico-Premier, M. Ivano ritch, is a famous jurist who appealed to Prince Patil before the former [’rime Minister signed the Axis Pact He has strong pro-British sympathies and is very popular in Yugoslavia. Two of the Ministers who resigned from the former Cabinet a few days ago in protest against the pro-Germau policy of the Government have joined the new Cabinet. They are the Min isters of Justice and of the Interior. The Yugoslav Minister to Moscow, who also resigned his post as a protest against the signing of the Pact, is in the new Government as Minister without portfolio. The new Cabinet consists of 17 members. It represents all sections of the nation, and the appointment of the leader of the Slovenes, Miho Krek, as Minister without portfolio, completes the national unity. The new War Minister is General Hitch, and the Minister of the Navy is Erkaliu Silitcb. The former War Minister, General Ned! tch, is under arrest, together with the former Premier, M. Tsvetkovitch. The new Foreign Minister is M. Nincitch, who was a member of all Cabinets between 1920 and 1927. Other members of the Cabinet include Dr. Lazar Markovitch and Dr Budisavlj Evitch, who resigned on March 14 as a protest against the policy of the former Government. They have been appointed Ministers of Justice and of the Interior respectively. The four Croat members of the old Cabinet have been retained, namely. Dr. Matchek. M. Andres. Dr. Kuleuovitch, and M. Torbar. The Agrarian Deputy M. Tcbubrilovitch is also retained as Minister of Agriculture