TORTUOUS MANOEUVRES

Evening Star, Issue 23723, 2 November 1940, Page 11

TORTUOUS MANOEUVRES

AXIS DIPLOMATIC SCHEMING “ KIDGLOVE " HANDLING OF INVASION TURKEY'S UNCOMPROMISING STAND LONDON, November 1. (Received November 2, at 1.15 p.m.) The Italian-Greek war continued today as primarily a diplomatic struggle in which the Axis is apparently pinning its hopes on a Greek collapse. Military operations are reported to have brought the Italians 16 miles within Greek territory on the road to Janina, but the Greeks claim that all the Italian attacks have been repulsed. The Axis, judged by its propaganda, still hopes that the Metaxas regime and the military opposition to Italy will crumble, which is interpreted throughout the Balkans as the reason for the “ kidglove ” handling of the invasion. The Italians twice raided Athens, firstly attacking Piraeus, the capital’s seaport, and, secondly, Tatoi, the capital’s airport, but, it is reported, failed to hit military objectives. Twenty five Italian raiders visited the Gulf of Corinth at Prevesas. Ground batteries shot down two. The damage was slight. Salonika was also raided. Other reports suggest that the Italian hopes are falling in two directions; firstly, to lead the British into another Norway “ failure,” and, secondly, that the Turks should move troops into Grecian Thrace. Turkey, which is maintaining strong positions on the Bulgarian frontier, is exercising a modifying influence on the Bulgarian Germanophiles and military hotheads. Turkish newspapers continue plainly to warn Bulgaria to stay out of the conflict. Informed circles do not doubt that Turkey will fight if Bulgaria goes to war for the Axis or allows the Germans to move across Bulgaria.