EUROPEAN TANGLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1939, Page 7

EUROPEAN TANGLE

COMPLEX AND CRITICAL OUTLOOK

Russian and German Intrigues ITALY TRYING TO HELP AXIS PARTNER attempt to scare allies into accepting HITLERIAN PEACE (By Telegraph.— Press Association. —Copyright.) NEW YORK. December 9. European correspondents of the “New Jork limes analytically picture a confused political and nnhtary scene in a series of dispatches exploring the relationship ol last \\eck . events in the Baltic ami Balkan States to Germamy and Italy Air G. E. R. Gedye from .Moscow declares that Italy is initiating efforts for a speedy British. French and German peace, almost on anv terms in order to switch the war to an attack on the Soviet, but Lord Halifax has shown that Britain is taking no heed of this, move, being determined to concentrate on the overthrow of Hitler before considering other dangers. ; Apparently Lord Halifax felt that Italy is playing Hitler s game in order'to scare the Allies into accepting aHi lerian peace. This is certainly the game German agents m .Moscow are plaving among neutrals. Maybe the knowledge of these manoeuvres has speeded up the Soviet’s aggressive policies. It is certainly hastening defensive preparations along the length ol the new RussianGerman frontiers. . Mr Gedve refers to the Bessarabian demand raised semiofficially in .Moscow lasl week. Rumania, he says, has already surrendered Bessarabia in all but name. A qualified observer last week noted that it is unfortified, with no soldiers m the whole province, and the Rumanians are liquidating their allairs there. Simultaneously Rumania is strengthening the l\i\ei Prutu fortifications. _