FEARS OF WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1940, Page 5

FEARS OF WAR

IN SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE SIGNIFICANCE OF TURKISH ACTION. MILITARY PREPARATIONS IN BALKANS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, February 8. The Istanbul correspondent of ‘ the British Associated Press says that the seizure by Turkish marines of the Ger-man-owned Krupp shipyards on the Golden Horn coincides with rising fears that southeastern Europe will be involved in w;ir in the spring and also with General Weygand’s review of the large numbers of British and Indian troops in Egypt.

The Germans dismissed total 20. The marines denied them entry into the shipyards. The Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press says that those in authority minimise the seizure, declaring that such things happen in Turkey and can usually be resolved. The south-eastern neutral States are placing their armies on a Avar footing, states a message from Budapest. Rumania is augmenting the million men at present undex- arms and is expediting hex- defences, even if this will reduce hex- ability to supply products to Germany. Rumanian troops are requisitioning scrap iron fox- armaments, and Hungary has made scrap iron a State monopoly. Yugoslavia is reported to be preparing an army of 500,000 men under the Regent, Prince Paul. Turkey maintains 200,000 of her men on the Russian border, in spite of a demand for manpower- in the area de-

vastated by the earthquakes. HUGE PARADE ANGLO-EGYPTIAN FORCES. INSPECTED BY GENERAL WEYGAND. LONDON, February 8. A message from Cairo states that the strength of Anglo-Egyptian defence was demonstrated today when a huge parade was held on the desert of Heliopolis in the presence of King Farouk on the occasion of the visit of the French and British Commanders in the Near East, Generals Weygand and < Wavell. The troops are mainly mechanised. General Weygand inspected English, Egyptian and Indian mechanised units. After driving slowly up and down the ranks he expressed the keenest satisfaction at the efficient turn-out of the troops of the three nationalities, and said it was a symbol of Allied-Egyp-tian co-operation, a radio report states. The Egyptian Press expresses great enthusiasm over the visit and emphasises Egyptian wholehearted support 'or the Allied cause. FURTHER ACTION

r I 1 DISMISSAL OF GERMAN 7 ' TECHNICIANS. E 3 V

f ORDERED TO LEAVE COUNTRY. ’ (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) 1 INSTANBUL, February 9. 1 The Government today dismissed a hundred German technicians employed in the War and Naval Min5 istries and gave them forty-eight ' hours’ notice to quit the country. 5 Officials state that no German in • future will be employed in State-own- ■ ed industries. This will involve a fur- ■ thur several hundred. The measure is - declared to have been taken in accordance with the powers voted by the ■ National Assembly to the Government 1 for protection and national defence. PROTEST EXPECTED i CERTAIN TO BE REJECTED. LONDON, February 9. The Istanbul correspondent of the Associated Press states that informed Turkish circles declared that Turkey would reject Germany’s expected protest against the seizure of the Krupps shipyard. It is admitted that this would herald a serious “worsening” of TurcoGerman relations. A Daventry broadcast states that the Turkish Government has taken further action against .Germans, and has dismissed all Germans connected with national defence. REASON FOR DISMISSALS DISCOVERY OF SABOTAGE PLOT. ACCORDING TO AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) LONDON, February 9. The American Press Association’s Istanbul correspondent says it is reliably stated that the dismissal of Germans is the outcome of the discovery of a widespread German sabotage plot in the Near East. STORM COMING DECLARATION BY GREEK PREMIER. OVERTURE TO HUNGARY AND BULGARIA. (Received This Day. 10.30 a.m.) ATHENS. February 9. Speculation has been aroused by a speech by the Prime Minister. General J. Metaxas, in which he said: “Difficult times momentarily threaten us. The door is open for Hungary and Bulgaria joins us in encountering the storm that is coming.”