OPUNAKE TIMES "Speaks for the District.” TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1939. GERMANY’S PLANS

Opunake Times, 28 March 1939, Page 2

OPUNAKE TIMES "Speaks for the District.” TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1939. GERMANY’S PLANS

At a pace in keeping with that of the military pressure lately exerted to intimidate adjacent peoples, Germany is, rapidly pjoceeding with her plans for a “drive” to the south-east, rhe so-called accord with Slovakia and the trade agreement with Dumauia exhibit clearly _ this ultimate intention. Slovakia is inthlesslv deprived of freed pin m military development and in foreign policy- In both respects the

Interests of Germany are to be served, Slovakia’s political independence and territorial integrity being so fully placed under German “protection’ that they t ease to have practical meaning. This state of things is introduced without so much as a day’s preparation and is to continue for at least 25 years. Any hopes the Slovaks 'may have cherished about self-determination have been suddenly shattered; they may already he. regretting their eagerness to part company with the Czechs. The case of Rumania, to judge it bv the sweeping provisions of the trade agreement, is no better than that °.f Slovakia. Under the thin_ guise of an economic dictated by Germany, Rumania is to become a vassal State, rendered incapable of eating the fruit of its own labours or of pursuing its own industrial and commercial policy. Eve.n its armament industry will be under German domination, for with Germany to “c.Q-operate” means plainly to take control. Particularly indicative of Germany’s immediate purpose are two items of news: “free zones” will be created along the Danube, which traverses part of Rumania’s southern border and thence flows northward to its Black Sea outlet within Rumanian ’territory, and at these zones Germany will dominate industry and shipping; and Rumania is to take: action in

concluding similar agreements with ether countries—-of course under German supervision, with specific reference to the southeastern “drive.” Rumanian antinathy to this subjection scons Hkelv to be overborne by Hungarian agency on; Germanv’s be half.