YUGOSLAVIA YIELDING

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21250, 22 October 1940, Page 4

YUGOSLAVIA YIELDING

“ Under extreme pressure,” Yugoslavia is reported to have signed a protocol to the German-Yugoslav trade agreement which makes Yugoslavia economically and politically dependent on the Reich. The Yugoslav Foreign Minister said that nothing now stood in the way of intensified political collaboration between the two countries. Hitherto Germany has been giving preference to Yugoslav trade. That preference has now been abolished in favour of a German “ promise ” of full consideration in the fixation of prices.

It might be pertinent to inquire where Italy comes into the picture. It had been generally assumed that Yugoslavia was within the Italian sphere of influence, because Italy is the nearest big neighbour. Now apparently Mussolini has again to play second fiddle to Hitler. In addition, Mussolini must face the prospect of a great German-controlled territory stretching down the opposite side of the Adriatic Sea. Unless Italy continues to do the bidding of Germany, Mussolini will face a “ persuasion ” that did not exist before. In the days before Mussolini threw in his lot with Hitler, the presence of Germany on the Adriatic would have thrown Italy into a panic.. The dangers from such a development are no less now than they were then, but Italy has Germany’s promise of faithful co-operation—a promise which will hold good exactly as long as it suits Hitler’s purposes.

Although the news comes from Bucharest, a source which has been rendered suspect by the presence of German control of Rumania, it is nevertheless interesting to hear that Russia has sent two Notes to Berlin asking for an explanation of Germany’s sudden incursion into the Balkans. Germany’s replies can scarcely be convincing to the Soviet. To the first Hitler replied that he feared a British attack in the Balkans. In the second instance he claimed that Germany was creating a defensive and not an offensive organisation in the Balkans. Russia would no doubt appreciate the significance of the second reply. It is becoming more than ever apparent that the small States in southeastern Europe require a standard around whom they can rally so that they do not singly have to yield to extreme pressure. And in the matter of blood and race, Germany is poaching on the preserves of the Slavs, a matter of very real interest to Russia.