TURNING POINT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23602, 11 March 1940, Page 7

TURNING POINT

ROME PARLEYS GERMAN PRESS CLAIM POPE TO RECEIVE ENVOY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Hcceivcil March 10, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, March 10 Commenting on von Ribbentrop's visit to Rome, Marshal Goering's newspaper National Zeitung, says: "The negotiations indicate an historic turning point, which is • likely to be more marked than anything experienced for a long time. "Germany and Italy are determined not to allow a reactionary alliance to pi-event the necessary reorganisation of Europe." The Vatican authorities state that the Pope will give a private audience to von Ribbentrop on Monday.

A Rome despatch says that von Ribbentrop's delegation includes Dr. Karl Clodius, economist, Dr. Gaus, legal adviser to the German Foreign Office, Baron von Doernberg, Chief of Protocol, Dr. Schmidt, Nazi press chief, and a large staff. .Although the visit of von Hibbcntrop to Rome is considered in Italy to bo primarily an attempt to gain Italian support for German efforts to patch up the Finnish situation, one of the main reasons for his visit may be to apologise for the bombing of the Italian steamer Amelia Lauro by a. Nazi aeroplane. According to the Copenhagen correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, von Ribbentrop is being accompanied to Rome by Dr. Pelir Svinhufrud, a former President of Finland, and an unconfirmed report states that M. Tanner, Finnish Foreign Minister, may also go to Rome. He was reported earlier to have gone from Helsinki to Berlin by air. The Helsinki radio announced that Hitler received Dr. Svinhufrud yesterday. It is reported from Berlin that Dr. Svinhufrud, accompanied by the Swedish Ambassador to Berlin, also visited von Ribbentrop at the Foreign Office on Friday.

FINLAND'S CAUSE HELP FROM ALLIES AIRCRAFT AND MUNITIONS FIRST BRITISH VOLUNTEERS LONDON, MRrch 8 The first British volunteers for Finland have arrived there, and others are following as soon as possible. Britain has sent 230 aeroplanes to Finland. England and Franco have despatched the following aircraft and war materials, of which at least two-thirds have already arrived:-—405 aeroplanes, 916 pieces of artillery, 2,500,000 shells, 5000 light machine-guns, 124 heavy machine-guns, 150 anti-tank rifles, 4-50.000 bombs, 1050 submarine mines, 10,000 anti-tank mines and between 50,000,000 and 60,000.000 cartridges. The Paris press states that France so far has sent to Finland 175 aeroplanes, 496 guns, 400 sea mines, 5000 machine-guns, 795,000 shells, 20,000,000 cartridges and 200,000 hand-grenades.

TROOPS FROM BRITAIN ROME RADIO STATEMENT (Received March 10, 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, March 9 The Rome radio announced that two British Envoys are reported to have arrived in Stockholm seeking authority for the passage of a considerable number of British troops to Finland. Material aid from Britain, France and Italy is arriving in greater quantities, but the Finns have not sufficient personnel to quickly assemble the machines. in London Lord Phillimore has appealed for £] .000,000 to equip transport and maintain a division of British volunteers for Finland.