NAZI PRESSURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 April 1940, Page 7

NAZI PRESSURE

IMPOSED ON BALKANS

IN SAME MANNER AS ON SCANDINAVIA. ON EVE OF INVASION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. ' LONDON. April 22. "The Times” says that German attention is directed on the Balkans in exactly the same manner as it was on Scandinavia before the invasion. The Belgrade correspondent of “The Times” says that five cases of rifle ammunition were found in the German pavilion at the Belgrade Fair. Germans have been seeking to buy large quantities of lop boots. Three carloads of Germans were arrested for following King Peter. Seventy thousand troops and 350 warplanes are concentrated in the Klagenfurt area, to the north of the Yugoslav frontier. German propaganda in Slovakia declares that Croatia’s struggle for freedom is within sight of achievement. The commandant of Belgrade made a statement that spies were making trouble in the army.

TRADE AGREEMENT

GERMANY AND RUMANIA. MAIN NAZI DEMANDS RESISTED. LONDON, April 22. According to reports from Bucharest, Rumania and Germany have signed a new trade agreement for which negotiations have been going on for some time. Rumania has resisted the two main German demands. The first was for more petrol from Rumanian wells, but the total is to remain at the same figure as previously. Incidentally, the figure arrived at has never been reached yet. and during six months of war Germany and Czechoslovakia together received less than one-third of the maximum provided by the agreement. During the same period, Britain took 50,000 tons of oil more than Germany. In other words, British purchases of Rumanian oil increased by 7 per cent, compared with a year ago. and German purchases were 22 per cent less. The second demand was for a further depreciation of the Rumanian currency in terms of the reichsmark. In this the Germans have failed, and the exchange rate is to remain the same.

MISSIONS TO ITALY

LONDON. April 23.

The Bucharest correspondent of “The Times” says the German delegate, Herr Clodius, is going to Italy after signing the trade protocal, whereby the exchange rate is unchanged for Rumanian exports and oil and wheat quantities are also unchanged. Germany will increase the prices in Rumania for exports by amounts varying from 30 to 100 per cent. The foreign trade chief, M. Christu, has gone to Italy with an important trade mission.