Balkan Panic As Russians Sweep On

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1944, Page 3

Balkan Panic As Russians Sweep On

(Rec. 11,30 a.m.) LONDON, March 14.

As the Russian armies roll on towards Rumania, panic is reported to be sweeping Hitler’s Balkan satellites. Latest developments are: (1) The reported Rumanian offer to sell cut by returning the border provinces of Bessarabia and Bukovina to Russia if the Russians will help them recover Transylvania from Hungary. (2) The recall of all Bulgarian diplomats for urgent consultation in Sofia as a follow-up, to peace feelers put out to Britain and America recently. Tension on the Transylvanian border between Hungary and Rumania is growing every day with frontier incidents mounting. Reports from, Turkey say that probably 100,000 troops are massed on either side. Hungary’s feudal and despotic Government, like its counterpart in Rumania, is finding increasing difficulty in keeping its own people under control. Strikes have broken out in both countries —dockers and seamen have brought Rumanian Black Sea ports to a standstill and strikes occur daily in Budapest. The Ankara correspondent of the “Daily Mail” reports that Rumanian diplomats in Turkey say that not only has their country nothing left to fight for but, for the first time a basis for real peace has been laid. The Only Barrier The Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent says that Prince Stirbey unquestionably is the bearer of one of the many peace feelers which have poured out of Rumania in the last few weeks. It is important to note that Prince Stirbey is not a member of Antonescu’s Government. His journey to Cairo must therefore be regarded as unofficial. There is no question about the desire of the vast majority of Rumanians to get out of the war. The barrier is the powerful German hold over the country. This hold prob ably is stronger in Rumania than in any other Balkan state owing to the existence of oilfields which Hitler is likely to take desperate measures to rctsin. The Istanbul correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that Rumanian generals are said to have hastily convened a meeting at which they decided to ask Antonescu to order the •immediate withdrawal of all Rumanian troops from the Russian front and to prepare to defend the Homeland. The generals urged the setting up of a defence zone along the line of the river Fruth to cover the Rumanian oilfields. Although Antonescu has forbidden evacuations, it is reported that many inhabitants of Bessarabia, the province nearest to the Russian advance. are alredy in flight. Unaccredited Prince

No great expectations are placed in London in the reported journey of Prince Stirbey to Turkey to inquire about terms of peace for Rumania. He is head of a well-known family and a very wealthy man. He lived for many years in Switzerland and continued to maintain contacts with the National Peasant Party leader (Maniu). but he is not known to have any relations with the present Rumanian regime such as would give his mission outstanding importance. He is not the only Rumanian notability who has been inquiring in likely quarters about the possibilities of peace since the Russians advanced from Kiev.

Rumanian Peace Feelers Authorised Rumanian emissaries held a conference at Ankara on Saturday with Soviet delegates, as a result of which the Rumanian Government may be succeeded by a transition Cabinet, preparing the way for a democratic Government, says the “New York Times” Ankara correspondent. Rumanian emissaries said, after the conference: “The Russian bear is very hungry and wants too big a bite. In other words, the Soviet won t accept less than unconditional surrender.”

It is not ascertainable what peace price the Rumanians are offering besides returning Bessarabia and Bukovina to Russia. The Rumanian politician. Prince Stirbey. went to Cairo yesterday with a special pass enabling him to enter Allied territory, indicating that the mission, is receiving serious attention from British authorities.