BALKAN BLOC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 9

BALKAN BLOC

NEUTRAL_ STATES AID PF_ITALY MOVE REPORTED RUMANIA WILLING By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 23 Government newspapers in Rumania assert that Rumania is willing to join a neutral Balkan block, led by the Italians, to prevent further , expansion to the south-east by Germany and Russia, says a Budapest message. Hungary and Yugoslavia are already working closely with Signor Mussolini. The Bucharest correspondent of the New York Times says it is understood that plans to form a neutral bloc of South-Eastern Europeans have reached the stage of serious negotiation. Informed persons believe that Turkey's pact with Britain and France excludes the possibility of war in the Balkans, and that therefore the moment is propitious for diplomatic action, the basis of which necessarily is the status quo. It is felt that Turkey, Greece and Yugoslavia would not object. Apparently Bulgaria is following a pan-Slav policy and hoping for Russian support, but it is believed that the memory of the results of her last two wars will incline her to join. Discussions are also proceeding with the object of involving Hungary in the bloc.

It is believed that Italy would like to join, and thus obtain from the Balkans de facto recognition of her position as a Balkan Power.

M. Kiosseivanoff, ex-Premier of Bulgaria, is forming his eighth consecutive cabinet in four years, says the Sofia correspondent of the New York Times. Six members of the, last Cabinet are among the 10 Ministers in the new Cabinet, which leads to the assumption that Bulgaria's foreign policy has not been changed. The Budapest correspondent of the Times says rumours of the evacuation of German minorities from the Danube areas of the Balkans to a protectorate in Poland are causing panic in villages in south-eastern Hungary, where Germans have been settled since the 18th century. Villagers in several districts have bodily driven out German minority organisers. PROFESSOR'S FEARS POISON GAS CAMPAIGN DIAGNOSES OF SOLDIERS UNTRUE NAZI STATEMENT (Received October 24, 6.20 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 24 Professor Staehelin, of Basle University, Switzerland, fears that the Germans are using him for propaganda in support of the future use by them of poison gas, says the Basle correspondent" of the Times. Professor Staehelin said he was attending a patient at Berlin when the Berlin University authorities asked him to investigate a case of ";as poisoning at Jaslo, Poland. He added: "I travelled by aeroplane and diagnosed nine soldiers as suffering from yellow cross gas poisoning, but there was no evidence of the circumstances in which the poisoning happened. "Tracts which have been mailed to neutral countries pretend that a 'Basle professor of European fame witnesses Polish ga,s warfare at Jaslo.' This is not true." INVENTORS BUSY WAR WINNING DEVICES SUGGESTIONS NUMEROUS (Received October 24, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Oct. 23 Inventors are bringing plan 6 to the Supply Ministry at a rate of 300 a week,'designed to assist in winning the war. The suggestions are of all kinds and are put forward by persons who have spent a lifetime id work on a special subject, as well as by amateurs. Every suggestion is examined carefully and those which show any promise are passed on to . the appropriate expert staff. Valuable ideas have been contributed by. German refugees, some of whom are scientists of high repute. ANOTHER MISTAKE "BATTLE" IN NORTH SEA (Received October 24, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct, 23 The sea battle reported off North Jutland on Sunday is not confirmed. The explosion of German mines is believed to have misled the narrators of the story. AUCKLANDER RESCUED PASSENGER ON YORKSHIRE LONDON. Oct. 23 Passengers on the Bibby Line vessel Yorkshire, which was torpedoed in mid-Atlantic last week, included Mr. H. G. Vivian, the Auckland and New Zealand representative cricketer. Mr. Vivian's parents yesterday received a cablegram from him stating that he was safe and well in New York. Tho cricketer, who is 27 years of age, .is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Vivian, of Woodford Road, Mount Eden. For the past 10 years ho has been one of the leading cricketers, in* tho Dominion, being ranked among the finest, all-round players tho country has produced. He was a member of the New Zealand teams which visited England in 1931 and 1937, being vice-cap-tain of the latter side. Following on the visit of Sir Julien Calm's team to New Zealand last season, Mr. Vivian was invited by Sir Julien to take up a Jjosition in his furniture business in Sngland. He appeared to have a promising career ahead of him in England, but tho outbreak of the war upset his plans. ATHENIAN CARGO (Received October 21, 5.5 p.m.) OTTAWA. Oct. 23 The External Affairs Department, after a careful and complete check-up, has proved conclusively that the liner Athenia carried no guns, ammunition or munitions of war of any nature, either as cargo or stores, as was alleged by the Germang.