DEFENSIVE WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1940, Page 5

DEFENSIVE WAR

WON BY GREAT BRITAIN NEW EFFORT BY AXIS. TURKISH OFFICIAL BROADCAST. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 11. The German penetration into Rumania was discussed tonight in a commentary broadcast by the official Turkish wireless station at Ankara. It was stated that Britain had won the defensive war and suggested that Germany and Italy may be planning a knock-out blow from a more vulnerable point before Britain gets too strong. If the Germans intended to penetrate to the Near Eastern oilfields through Turkey, it was stated, they surely knew that the road would not be easy, but on the contrary very difficult. As to any designs on Greece, the Turkish wireless .took the view that even if Greece were overrun by the Axis Powers there would still be the sea between that country and the Near East, and as the sea was still ruled by the British Navy the hostile armies would still be just onlookers. This is the first authoritative comment from Turkey on the Rumanian situation, possibly because Turkey has had as much difficulty as Britain in finding out what was really going on. ENEMY SUBMARINES REPORTED TO BE OPERATING IN BLACK SEA. LONDON, October 11. A Belgrade dispatch published in the “New York Times” quotes diplomatic sources for a statement that four German submarines have begun to operate in the Black Sea. It is stated that these U-boats were sent down the Danube in sections and assembled, presumably at Galatz. Cther reports quoted by Reuter’s state that German officers and technical workers are being smuggled into Bulgaria. TENSION IN SYRIA AUTHORITIES IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS UNDER ITALIAN PRESSURE. ENEMY CONCENTRATING ON PROPAGANDA. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, October 13. In connection with the Balkans developments excitement is rising in Syria and Lebanon, where the authorities, under Italian pressure, are clamping more and more restrictions on speech and the newspapers in an attempt to get a grip on the situation. The frontier supervision has been reinforced and lhe Italians are easing their material and military demands and are concentrating on propaganda. Political experts are replacing the military commissioners for the purpose of building up a more favourable atmosphere. Syrians abroad, particularly in South America, have sent a message to the Syrian leaders promising their moral and material aid for resistance against the Italians.