NAZIS BUSY ON MOSELLE

Southland Times, Issue 24011, 29 December 1939, Page 5

NAZIS BUSY ON MOSELLE

UNEASINESS IN LUXEMBOURG ROADS TO FRONTIER IMPROVED SEARCH FOR FORDS ON RIVER (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. December 28, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 27. The Luxembourg correspondent of The Daily Telegraph says that the greatest uneasiness has been caused as a result of German activities along the frontier. Until the end of November the Germans were busy constructing pillboxes and erecting barbedwire barriers along the Moselle from Masserbillig to Remich. This brought in the Siegfried Line a region hitherto without permanent defences, but the defensive nature of the constructions allayed fears of an invasion. However, since December 1 the inhabitants of Luxembourg have seen thousands of men enlarging and improving -the German roads to the frontier. A new strategic road at right angles to the Moselle reaches the river six miles from Remich, hut beyond the range of the French guns. The Germans have sounded the entire length of the rivers Our, Aauer and Moselle, ap-. parently seeking fords. German staff officers also closely inspected all 21 bridges along the GO miles frontier, blowing up two. The remainder were mined at the German end.

BALKAN ENTENTE MENACED BULGARIAN POSITION DOUBTFUL (Received December 28, 10.10 p.m.) PARIS, December 28. The foreign editor of Le Soir, Jules Sauerwein, commenting on the Balkan Entente meeting today, says that one of the entente’s weaknesses is that it must face an internal enemy before it prepares to resist the outside menace. Bulgarian aerodromes and military establishments are ready to receive invading forces, either of Russia or Germany. Bolshevization is another internal danger. It is certain that a Russian attack on Rumania would provoke outbreaks in Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. In danger the entente would do well to co-ordinate its efforts to resist this closely allied Bulgarian menace. The more discontented Bulgaria becomes, the more it will listen to Russian propaganda. Therefore, on Bulgaria the conference must take a position. It might be possible for Britain and France to offer concessions operative only on the conditions of Bulgaria’s wholehearted participation in defence of the peninsula. Unless the Balkan Entente’s diplomatic preparations support the military preparations, the states will receive unpleasant surprises.