ITALIAN WARNING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23970, 20 November 1939, Page 9

ITALIAN WARNING

SOVIET AND BALKANS SPREAD OF COMMUNISM DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY ENTENTE STATES TO MEET (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, Nov, 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 8.30 p.ni.) Italy gave Russia a sharp warning to-day. first by an attack on the radio and. secondly, by open support for Finland through the semi-official press. The Rome radio declared that Italy would resist immediately any attempt to introduce Communism into the Balkans. The Balkan States wanted a united front against Communism. Defence and the security of the Mediterranean were of the greatest concern to Italy. . In this connection it is reported from Istanbul that Jugoslavia has agreed to “a proposal by Turkey and Rumania for i the summoning of a meeting of mem--1 hers of the entente. Bulgaria has also accepted an invitation to send an observer. It is also reported from Istanbul that the Soviet Ambassador twice conferred with Bay Saracoglu and the reopening of the talks between Turkey and Russia is believed to be imminent. The Soviet press has lately ceased its attacks on Turkey. Rumania is showing a desire for some entente connection with the Balkan policy. The Rome Council of Fascists declared: “We sympsthise with the small and heroic Finnish nation, which is ethnically and culturally homogeneous, Russia is displeased because Finland controls the entrance to the gulf in which the Soviet has its second capital.” A VEILED THREAT REASON FOR RUSSIAN SILENCE AIMS OF ITALIAN POLICY

NEW YORK, Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 8.50 p.m.) “The announcement that Italy will not allow the spread of Communism in the Balkans is calculated greatly to annoy the Soviet,” says Mr C. E. Gedye, the Moscow correspondent of the New York Times. “It is regarded as a thinly disguised threat to the Soviet, since therg was no reason for a pronouncement on the Balkans, where there is nothing to suggest the reappearance of native Communism. But there is reason to expect that the Soviet will seek soon to extend its influence in the Balkans. . “ Italy’s warning seems primarily intended to check the extension of Rus-sian-Bulgarian rapprochement. It suggests that Italy’s olans for a Balkan bloc must be considerably advanced. Bulgaria is unlikely to entgr a Balkan bloc without settlement of her Dobruja and demands, but Italian pressure on Greece and Rumania might induce Bulgaria to end her flirtation with Russia and accept Italy’s sponsorship of a Balkan bloc, provided that Italy is not allowed to become overpowerful. In a sense Bulgaria is the key to the formation of a great military Power in the Balkans. “Russia’s failure to reply to Italys increasing hostility is unquestionably the result of German insistence tha + nothing should be done to widen the obvious Italian-German breach, but it is doubtful whether the German influence will be sufficient to impose continued silence. “A bewildering picture is presented by the Soviet press, which is obliged to handle with kid gloves the Fascistruled States that Russians naturally detest, while official hostility is reserved for the United Stales and the Western democracies, with which the public are surprised to find they have a quarrel.”

THE AFRICA SHELL IDENTITY OF RAIDER POSSIBLY ADMIRAL SCHEER LOURENCO MARQUES, Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 11 pm.) The crew of the Africa Shell state that the ship was stopped by a German cruiser, but mystery continues to surround its identity. The Capetown correspondent of The Times states that the identity of the German raider has definitely been established as the Admiral Scheer. A special representative of a Lourenco Marques newspaper flew to Inhambane and showed members ot the crew of the Africa Shell a selection of warship pictures from which everyone selected the Admiral Scheer as the attacker. A message published on Saturday stated that a tanker, the Africa Shell, was sunk 1870 miles north-teast of Lourenco Marques, Portugese East Africa, by a German raider, believed to be a 10,000-ton armed merchantman. SHIPS DISGUISED COPENHAGEN, Nov. 17. A neutral observer, upon arrival from Germany, reported that the Admiral Scheer and the Deutschland were in a German harbour. The ships in the Atlantic and elsewhere at present were disguised to resemble pocket battleships in the hope of luring Britain’s best snips from European waters. GERMAN SHIP MOVEMENTS ANGOLA, Nov. 19. (Received Nov. 19, at 11 p.m.) The two German liners, Windhuk and Adolf Woermann, unobtrusively departed for an unknown destination. EGYPTIAN ASSISTANCE SUPPORT FOR BRITAIN CAIRO. Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 8 p.m.) Opening Parliament, King Farouk promised every assistance to Britain. He added that the Anglo-Egyptian alliance would strengthen peace and consolidate it throughout the Orient. NAZI AGENTS ARRESTED SUSPECTED OF ESPIONAGE IN TURKEY ISTANBUL, Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 8.10 p.m.) Eight Germans, including a woman, were arrested on suspicion of Nazi propaganda and espionage.