HUNGARY ALOOF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23575, 8 February 1940, Page 9

HUNGARY ALOOF

BALKAN ENTENTE BLOC NOT FAVOURED FEAR OF GREATER POWERS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 6 The Budapest newspaper Pester Lloyd publishes an attack against Rumania and the Balkan Conference, inspired by the Hungarian Government. This is not regarded, however, as portending a change in Hungary's foreign policy.

It is stated in the article that Hungary never favoured a Balkan-

Danube bloc, because the greater Powers could misinterpret it as an offensive measure. Hungary could not be expected to join Powers, one of which had adopted a provocative policy. A message from Athens says the Greek Prime Minister, General Metaxas, said that even the Balkan countries, outside the Entente approved the attitude of the member States. Bulgaria could bo considered an adherent to the peace group, thus assuring tranquillity throughout the Balkans. ALLEGED PEACE PLAN DENIAL BY BERLIN NORWEGIAN PRESS REPORT TERMS NOT ACCEPTABLE (Received February 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 6 The Oslo newspaper Tidens Tegn says a neutral State will submit a peace plan on behalf of Hitler to the forthcoming meeting of the League Council's Central Committee at The Hague. The newspaper adds that Goering drafted the plan in January. It provides for a plebiscite under international control for Austria, with a commission of British, French and German representatives to decide the future of the Czech, Polish and Slovak States. The Nazi Propaganda Ministry denies all knowledge of a German-sponsored peace plan, says a message from Berlin. It adds that the points enumerated in the Oslo newspaper would not be acceptable in any case. LOSSES TO DATE ALLIES' SMALL TOTAL THE MAG I NOT LINE ENORMOUSLY STRONG LONDON, Feb. 6 A member of the French military mission told a representative of the Australian Associated Press to-day that the Allies' fatalities on the West-

ern Front totalled 1500, prior to January 31. The French losses in tho first five months of the last war numbered 720,000. . The inactivity on the Western Front had enabled the Maginot Line to !oe strengthened enormously. Now it actually consisted of three lines. Expenditure on the Maginot Line totalled £600,000,000. The fortifications were capable of withstanding guns and shells a century ahead of anything existing to-day. The French Army numbered at present about 6,500,000 men —one-quarter of the male population. An example of the all-embracing nature of the Army was tho fact that there were 28,000 priests and clergymen either in tho ranks or serving as officers. A French communique says: "There was local activity by our patrols in the region west of the Saar to-day." BRITONS IN RUMANIA EVACUATION FROM POLAND NEW ZEALANDERS IN PARTY (Received February 7, 5.5 p.m.) BUCHAREST. Feb. 0 Fourteen Britons have arrived at Bucharest from Russianised Poland, of whom one is a South African and throe are New Zealanders. Tho last named includo Mr. Cedric Potocki and his wife. All but one of the men in tho party married Polish women who aro now Russian citizens. Thirteen Britons havo arrived at Odessa, leaving 43 who havo not been evacuated. MOTOR VEHICLES DECLINE IN REGISTRATION (Received February 7, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, Feb. 6 Tho number of mechanically-pro-pelled road vehicles registered for the first time in Britain in December was 9595, compared with 35,181 in December, 1938. The causes of this falling off were twofold, namely, the rationing of petrol, and the higher rates of taxation on motoir registration.