DETERIORATING HOURLY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22791, 15 January 1944, Page 5

DETERIORATING HOURLY

Situation In Rumania

Dictator Adheres To His Pledge

By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13. The situation in. Rumania is deteriorating almost hourly, according to reports reaching Turkey, says the Istanbul correspondent of “The Times.” Refugees arriving from Bessarabia and Bukovina have increased the fear created by the Red Army’s approach to the Rumanian frontier. General Antonescu does not attempt to Justify himself. He merely repeats that having pledged his word as a soldier to the Germans when he thought they would be- victorious, he is now bound to stand by them. The Rumanians might have tried so break away from the Germans but for

the fear that the Nazis would restore the Iron Guard regime. The Iron Guard leader, Horia Sina, with about 1000 Iron Guard toughs trained in Gestapo and Storm Troop technique, are at present kept in readiness in Germany for dispatch to Rumania at a moment’s notice. This prospect terrifies the Rumanians. Secret organisations are preparing to fight the Iron Guard if they are brought back to Rumania. Fear that the Hungarians might take advantage of the situation and attempt to annexe the remainder of Transylvania is an additional cause of Rumanian anxiety. King Michael and the Queen Mother are pathetically helpless figures surrounded by German spies. Bombing Terifles Sofia The Allied air raid on Sofia (capital of Bulgaria) on Tuesday was the greatest thus far against a single area of the Balkans says a Budapest re - port quoted by the Stockholm newspaper “Dagens Nyheter.” It was comparable with the raid on Berlin. Many incendiaries caused fires which were still burning yesterday. The population is fleeing in thousands, and transport is insufficient to evacuate all wishing to leave.