TURKEY UNSHAKEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 264, 5 October 1940, Page 7

TURKEY UNSHAKEN

AXIS THREATS IGNORED. VITAL ROLE ASSIGNED. (British Official AVireless.) (Rec. 9.40 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 4. The Times comments editorially on the fine example set by Turkey in her calm and steadfastness. It says few countries hitherto excluded, from the score of war have had more anxieties to face than Turkey and none bad emerged from the ordeal with more courage and consistency of purpose. Despite the embarrassments imposed on Turkish policy both by the enigmatic attitude of Russia and the collapse of France, Turkey has not flinched in her loyalty to her engagements of her faith in an ultimate British victory. Turkish opinion and the Press have been notably recalcitrant towards the blandishments of Nazi propaganda. The German attempt to exploit Turkey, as the jumping-off ground in the Middle East once before brought disaster, and the recent intrigues of Dr. von Papen (German Minister to Turkey) show that these designs still figure largely in German diplomacy. Mussolini did little to conceal the ambitions he inherited from pre-Fascist Italy or aggrandisement at Turkey a expense. In the Balkans Turkish interests coincide with those of Soviet Russia as well as Britain in resisting the extension. of the Axis Powers, and Russia, already angered by the German assumption of undisputed control ot the Danube, has every reason to be content that the keys of the Straits should be safe in Turkish hands. Turkey’s alliauee with Greece is proof against intimidation and has been a powerful factor in encouraging Greece to present a firm front to Italy’s threats. , , ~ , The Times, therefore, concludes that to-day there is every' confidence in Turkey’s capacity to maintain unshaken her role as one of the outposts of freedom and civilisation, Iter wit to do so has never been in doubt.

AXIS PENETRATION. PRESSURE IN NORTH AFRICA. NAZIS CONTROL DAKAR. LONDON, Oct. 3. The Times says that two new airline networks, also a trans-Mediterranean shipping service, are hurrying supplies of men and money from the Axis countries to the surrendered French colonies in North Africa. German air services are based at Toulouse, Alicante, Oran, Fez and Dakar, which is the pivotal point of the whole German pentration in Africa. _ . , •An Italian line runs to Tunis, and another through the Balearic Islands and Cadiz to Casablanca. All passengers are military, either uniformed officers sent to negotiate with representatives of the Vichy Government, or persons dressed as civilians, who disappear m the towns to sow propaganda by money or threats. Two shipping lines h_ave been created in Morocco, with fast French packetboats making unescorted trips between Algiers, Oran, Marseilles, Toulon and Genoa. They are too fast for submarines and travel mostly at night to avoid British bombers. . Every ounce that can be squeezed from reluctant, resentful, North African colonies is being piled on these ships Vichy is helpless, being forced to accept the general covering agreement by whicli Germany gets 60 per cent, of wheat, fruit, wines, tobacco and dairy produce and Italy and I* ranee each 20 per cent. Two steamers which recently JeK Syria for France were forced to discharge in Italy. The Germans virtually control Dakar. They ha/e taken over control of the port censorship, air lines, overland routes, and have stopped the recruiting of Senegalese riflemen. Several crack units have been disbanded. BASES FOR GERMANS.

Germany’s chief activity', however, has centred in the building of air and sea bases, Lufthansa pilots and ground crews are already at Dakar, preparatory to opening a trade offensive in South America. Brazil is the immediate target. German agents are known to be negotiating with South American shippers to open a service to Dakar. Meanwhile Italians and Spaniards are preparing the international zone at Tangier as a vital half-way house on the new Axis route. The Axis Powers have overruled the international commission, on which Britain was represented. Arms smuggling is going oil on a large scale, contrary to laws of the zone. The entire Press has swung to the Axis. The Tangier correspondent or tne Times says that 20 British subjects have been arrested in French Morocco, including the manager and senior members of the staff of the British West African Bank, also leading business men. The only explanation of this selection is the Italian-German desire to remove British trade influence. A German economic mission lias arrived at Casablanca to exploit Morocco’s resources for the Axis. .