TURKEY’S POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 23831, 11 March 1941, Page 7

TURKEY’S POLICY

ANNOUNCEMENT AWAITED WITH INTEREST SOVIET DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY IN YUGOSLAVIA Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 10. The Turkish Government is still busily stiffening the homo front. The Foreign Minister, Bay Saracoglu, and probably the Prime Minister, Dr Saydam, will make statements before the Grand National Assembly early this week, and messages from all parts of the Balkans suggest that much depends on what they include or exclude from their speeches. Observers point out that the Germans have yet to consolidate their advancing forces and extend their dispositions. They may require some weeks more to complete their armed preparations and employ their diplomatic intrigues. The Belgrade correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain states that llussia is concentrating troops in the Caucasus near the Turkish frontier as a precaution against a further German move. The Belgrade correspondent of * The Times ’ says that a noticeable increase in Soviet diplomatic activity is lending colour to the widespread belief that Yugoslavia will shortly sign some form of pact with llussia. It is now generally believed that the Yugoslav Government will wait to hear what either Bay Saracoglu or Dr Saydam say before publicly defining its attitude. Any Yugoslav declaration will probably offer Germany a pact of friendship similar to the existing one with Italy. American diplomatic circles at Belgrade deny that President JRoosevelt has attempted to influence Yugoslavia. NAZI DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE INCREASING IN YUGOSLAVIA AND TURKEY LONDON, March 10. A message from Istanbul states that a decree has been issued temporarily suspending the newspaper ‘ Yeni Sabah.’ The German Minister at Ankara, von Papen, protested against the newspapers’ recent outspoken editorials against Germany. The Ankara radio, confirming increases of German diplomatic pressure on Yugoslavia and Turkey, said that Germany has offered Turkey railway engines, machines, and other goods if she will break her bonds with Britain. The Turkish Minister of Defence has passed a law increasing the hours of work in factories making war material, and other measures have been adopted to safeguard the country in the event of aggression. BRITISH LEGATION LEAVING EXODUS FUI SOFIA SOFIA, March 10. (Received March 11, at 12.30 p.ra.) Mr Rondel and 60 Britishers, including two members of the legation staff, are going to Istanbul to-night. Two members of the legation are remaining to work with the American Embassy for British interests. TRAFFIC ON RHINE STRASBCURG-BALSE MUTE REOPENED BERLIN, March 10. (Received March 11, at 12.30 p.m.) Traffic was resumed on the Rhine between Strasbourg and Basle for the first time since the outbreak of war. The bridges which had been blown up have been cleared away. SHIPPING PROBLEMS SEARCHING QUESTIONS EXPECTED IN PARLIAMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 9. ' When Parliament meets again it is expected in political circles that time will quickly he given for a debate on shipping problems in a secret session. It is unlikely that the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, will take part, but searching questions will be answered by the four Ministers concerned—the Minister of Shipping (Mr R. H. Cross), the First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr A. V. Alexander), the Minister of Labour (Mr Ernest Bevin), and the Minister of Transport (Mr J. T. C. Moore-Bra-bazon). The feeling is also growing that the proposals of the President of the Board of Trade for t£e “ concentration ” of industrial production, which would entail the closing down of a number of small firms for the duration of the war, requires an explanation and parliamentary discussion before members can feel reassured that its application will be accompanied by fair treatment for all the interests involved. MOTOR-BUS STRIKE NEW YORK, March 10. (Received March 11, at 12.30 p.m.) A strike by 3,500 motor bus employees has begun affecting 27 Manhattan bus lines, carrying 800,000 passengers daily. Transportation is impeded not only by the strike, but by an exceptional snowfall. The drivers are asking for a 25 percent. increase in wages.