IRON GUARD ASSASSINATION

Evening Star, Issue 23380, 25 September 1939, Page 5

IRON GUARD ASSASSINATION

GERMANS BEHIND PLOT ORGANISATION STILL ACTIVE LONDON, September 23. A message from New York states that the Bucharest correspondent oi the New York ' Times ' says that before being executed M. Calinescu's assassins admitted their guilt with vado, and gave details, but did not name the higher-up influences, who are believed to be Germans and who are understood to have fled the country. It is learned that the leader, a lawyer, Dumitrescu, on Monday met a student, Cesare Poposcu, who revealed that he and four other students from Ploesti had organised a plot to kill the Prime Minister. Dumitrescu took over the direction of the plot. He examined the place where the murder was to be carried out and paid all expenses. He bought the car used for the assassination. Although he was an unemployed refugee, he spent over 40,000 lei, a large sum for Rumania. Despite the severe measures against the Iron Guard, it is clear that many members are still active and obtaining money from a secret source. M. Calinescu's body is lying in state at the military hospital. All the Government members attended a memorial service. A post mortem examination revealed that 23 bullets entered the body. All forms of public entertainment have been suspended for three days as a sign of the nation's mourning. The country is quiet, although armed troops are patrolling Bucharest.

REFUSED OIL TO GERMANY ? ONE EXPLANATION OF ASSASSINATION ■ NEW YORK, September 24. The Bucharest correspondent of the New York ‘ Times ’ states that one explanation of the assassination of M. Calinescu given by a radio broadcast was that the Premier refused the delivery of Rumanian goods to Germany without cash payment. It is recalled that Rumania was forced into a treaty last March promising Germany 25 per cent, of Rumania’s oil production, but Germany sought the entire output, and it is learned she informed Rumania at the end of August that she expected to receive “six months’ oil within six weeks,” 'necessitating the whole Rumanian (production going to Germany until October 15. Thereafter Germany would not receive any more Rumanian oil for several months, one inference from this being that Berlin ..expected either that war would be ended or that by midOctober she would be able to seize supplies of oil. It is not known whether Rumania complied, but heavy shipments have gone to Germany! There has been a fear that Germany would land a force by air to seize the oil wells before they could be sabotaged, a course on which it is believed the engineers were determined. A Rumanian battalion is stationed at Ploesti as a precautionary measure.

GERMANY BLAMES BRITAIN WORLD OPINION UNLIKELY TO BE IMPRESSED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 24. (Received September 25, at 8 a.m.) World opinion is unlikely to be impressed by the German accusation that Britain was responsible for the assassination of the Rumanian Prime Minister (M. Oalinescu). It is well known that M. Oalinescu was well disposed towards Britain. On the other hand, it is notorious that the Iron Guard organisation members, openly anti-Demo-cratic in outlook and known to enjoy support from Germany, were determined to avenge themselves on M. Oalinescu, who had disbanded them. They had already attempted to murder him in February. When, action was taken against the Iron Guard there was ft great outburst of indignation in Nazi circles. COMMANDER OF AUSTRIAN CAMP SHOT DEAD BY NAZI PARIS, September 24, (Received September 25, at 8 a.m.) The colonel commanding the concentration camp at Grata, Austria, was shot dead by a veteran Nazi. The radio reports that the German authorities have proclaimed martial law at Elin.

PETROL RATIONED IN BRITAIN LONDON, September 23. Petrol rationing became effective to-day. It immediately reduced the number of private cars on the roads and handicapped taximen, whose allowance is two gallons a dav. Their trade journal prophesies tfje workhouse for many elderly drivers. There is little sign of motoring for pleasure on the country roads. Piccadilly Circus was almost bare of motor traffic at the peak hour of the morning. CANADA HEARS THE GALL QUOTA OF RECRUITS ALREADY EXCEEDED OTTAWA, September 24. (Received September 25, at 8 a.m.) The response to .the recruiting call is so great that rejection of skilled workers and married men vith children has been ordered. The quota has already been exceeded, and the number could easily be doubled.