AN AGREEMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21037, 13 February 1940, Page 5

AN AGREEMENT

RUSSIA AND GERMANY MILITARY AND ECONOMIC BLACK SEA PORTS (United Tress A«sn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 12 A Russo-German agreement for military and economic co-operation with Ukraine, the Caucasus and the Black Sea is demonstrated by authenticated reports from Black Sea ports and Poland, says the Paris correspondent of the Times. German engineers are erecting fortifications at Odessa. Mariupol and Novorossisk in the Ukraine, and at the Russian port of Batum in the Caucasus. Fresh fortifications are also being constructed on the Russo-Rumanian frontier across the River Dneister. evidently to protect the Baku-Kiev railway, along which materials for the Finnish campaign and oil, manganese and copper for Germany are being transported. These fortifications also protect the Odessa-Lwow railway, along which oil will be carried to Germany. German troops are stationed along the line to prevent sabotage. The departure of 2000 others from Poland to the Caucasus suggests that similar procautions are being taken on the Baku-Kiev railway. LONDON. Feb. 12 The Berlin correspondent of the American Press states that Germany and Russia have concluded a new and extensive trade agreement, and an official announcement is imminent. Reorganisation of Shipping Germany is doing her utmost to re-organise shipping in the Black Sea. She is establishing a new organisation at Odessa to facilitate the transport of wheat from Novorossisk to Odessa, where she has been accumulating considerable stocks for months. Shipping services are also planned to link up Poti. just north of Batum. and Braila, a Rumania port near the mouth of the Danube, for the transport of chrome, and Braila, Trebizond and Batum for the carriage of hazel nuts, cotton and oil. German engineers have arrived at "Varna, Bulgaria, to construct a vast oil reserve container, from which supplies shipped from Batum can be railed through the Balkans to Germany. The Bucharest correspondent of the Times says Germany is reported to be pressing the Rumanian Government to centralise the marketing of eggs, hitherto left in the hands of private exporters, in order to secure greatly-increased supplies, but manv private exporters are unwilling to seil to her. Fight for Initiative Germany is trying tn wrest from Russia the initiative which she lost when her Foreign Minister, von Itibbentrop. inaugurated Ihe oolicy of Germany’s withdrawal from the Baltic.

Thus, the Nazis are playing on the Soviet’s fears of an Anglo-French attack, saving that only the most intimate Russo-German alliance can avert the danger. Diplomats and industrialists returning from Russia agree on the above facts, which Red censors nrevent coriesnondents from revealing, says the diplomatic correspondent of the Times.

The correspondent continues: “Nazi diplomats in Russia privately think that Stalin will be less able to resist German pressure since he is now embroiled with Finland, and that, therefore, profitable results can be expected from the German economic and military delegations at present in Moscow. A Mixed Blessing “It is clear that Germany regards the Russo-Finnish war as a mixed blessing, because, at least, it gives Germany a clear field in the southeast. notably the Rumanian oilfields. “It is, therefore, natural that Russia should be redoubling hei efforts to end Ihe Finnish war. For that purpose she is bringing up reinforcements, even from the Rumanian border, where previously she intended to put pressure on Rumania.” The correspondent goes on to say that Stalin probably has only postponed the Red south-eastern offensive: but the Soviet transport industry is already showing the effects of the severe frost and mobilisation for war. Scarcity of Food “Food,” says the writer, “is scarcer in Moscow and Leningrad than for years, while fuel is even more scant. The Soviet authorities admit the shortages, but blame them on “irresponsible elements in the transport and bakery systems.’ “The Russian people do not greatly care what is the source of the trouble, but are acutely aware that cooking and heating are difficult because of the low gas pressure: also, queues are necessary to obtain the reduced quantities of bread, milk, sugar and paraffin “As against this, heavy industry is undoubtedly producing large quantities of machinery and armaments. while Russia’s immense resources are being exploited. Eagerness of Nazis “The Nazis are fully aware of Russia’s potentialities and do not conceal their eagerness to persuade the Soviet leaders to permit German experts to teach efficiency and thus ensure supplies of war materials to Germany. “Some Nazi diplomats admit that they expected an increase in Russian inefficiency and that this would necessitate foreign assistance. Therefore. Germany signed the pact with Russia to ensure that this assistance should come from Germany.”