EFFORTS OF NAZIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20209, 30 March 1940, Page 5

EFFORTS OF NAZIS

SOUTH-EAST EUROPE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA HOPES REGARDING ITALY LONDON, March 20. With peace concluded between Russia and Finland, attention is being focussed again on south-eastern Europe—especially Rumania—and the Near East. News of the rehabilitation of the violently Fascist and anti-Semitic Iron Guard of Rumania, which was the most useful tool in Germany’s hands until King Carol destroyed it, caused a sensation at the week-end. Attention is also concentrated on Rome, where Germany is making efforts to bring Italy into line with the Berlin-Moseow axis. Russo-Finnish peace Overwhelming optimism characterises the political atmosphere in Berlin, following the Russo-Finnish peace, according to the Rotterdam correspondent' of The Times. “Germany regards the peace as proof of her influence.” he says, “or rather, that her power of inspiring terror is more effective in Sweden and Norway than Ailed influence.

“Germany is now confident that she can easily dominate the south-eastern political arena. The object is to make her position secure against an Allied flank attack in this quarter, thus freeing herself to concentrate all her forces for a blow in the West. “Germany’s attention will be at first directed toward Rumania and Turkey, with the immediate purpose of improving their relations with Russia, and getting them ,to agree to sigrt non-aggression pacts with Russia, thus preventing them from lending their territory as bases for an Allied invasion of Russia. The Nazis express the opinion that such an invasion is intended by the British and French armies in Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Italy Anti-Communist “Simultaneously. Germany hopes to induce Italy to adopt a positive attitude for war, coming into line with Russia and Germany, and creating one axis from Rome to Moscow, with Berlin as the medial point. It will be necesary first to overcome Italy’s anti-Communist prejudices., Already, the first step to this end has apparently been taken, inasmuch as a commercial treaty between Italy and Russia is being discussed.