BALKAN SCARE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1940, Page 5

BALKAN SCARE

ENEMY PROPAGANDIST EFFORTS TALK OF IMMINENT WAR. DENIAL FROM ISTANBUL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, February 24. Telephoning through Rome, the Belgrade correspondent of the “New York Times” says that a cessation of telephone communication with Turkey yesterday has fostered sensationalist rumours which are believed even in Government circles. They include reports that the German Commander-in-Chief, General Brauchitsch, flew to Warsaw and Moscow, and also of the presence of Russian troops in Turkish territory and a massing of a considerable body of Russians in the Caucasus. The latter report is received with scepticism by Yugoslav military circles. German propagandists are taking advantage of the situation to create a belief that the Allied forces in the Near East are placing Balkan peace in danger. The pro-German Yugoslav newspaper “Vreme” given prominence to a statement of the imminence of war in the Caucasus. A message from Istanbul states that reports that the Supreme Defence Council declared a state of emergency are unfounded. As Turkey proclaimed strict control over coal and coke as a first measure under the emergency defence law passed recently, the Balkans, which have been increasingly nervous, became alarmed because the telephone to Turkey was cut off. The explanation seems to be’ the earthquake shocks which continued throughout Saturday. Regarding the reports of unrest in Turkey, authoritative London quarters state that there is no confirmation of these reports and no knowledge has been received of an incident between Turkey and Russia, a British Official Wireless message states.