CRISIS NEARING CLIMAX

Evening Star, Issue 23832, 12 March 1941, Page 7

CRISIS NEARING CLIMAX

GERMAN “ PROPOSALS " TO GREECE GROWING RESISTANCE TO NAZIS IN YUGOSLAVIA LONDON, March 10. A report that the German Minister at Athens called on the Greek Prime Minister, M. Korizis, and handed him what the Belgrade radio described as “ some proposals ” provided an indication today that the crisis in the Balkans is nearing a climax. Meanwhile Yugoslavia’s defence measures are proceeding rapidly. Scarcely any young men remain in Belgrade. The opposition to any agreement involving German occupation is growing throughout the country, and organisations are being formed in the provinces to fight the German troops if they march over the frontier. The song ‘ Tipperary,’ which is widely regarded as the British anthem, is constantly being sung and played in Belgrade cabarets. SOVIET WORKING IN BACKGROUND URGING BULGARIA T® REVOLT AGAINST GERMAN MASTERS FIERCE RADIO ATTACKS AGAINST GOVERNMENT LONDON, March 10.

The Moscow radio is frequently repeating its fierce attacks in the Bulgarian language against “ Bulgaria’s traitor King and Government.” Although Russia, according to the Belgrade correspondent of the ‘ Daily Mail,’ is too weak to. make an open armed stand in order to stem the German drive through the Balkans, she is employing every possible underground method to prepare Bulgaria for national revolt against the Boris regime and its German masters. It is known that a number of important Bulgars, who are notoriously hostile to Germany, escaped from the country last week. These include a former Premier, M. Massanov, and several leaders of the Ilulgar Orthodox Church. There seems no doubt that hostility against Germany is growing, partly because of the deep-rooted antipathy toward foreign troops and partly because of the intensive Russian propaganda. Belgian, Dutch, and Polish diplomats on their arrival at Istanbul from Sofia reported that 200,000 German troops are in southern Bulgaria. One-third of these troops are located on the Turkish frontier.