WAR PORTENTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1941, Page 5

WAR PORTENTS

VISIBLE IN THE BALKANS

POSITION IN BULGARIA SERIOUS. TURKEY’ VIGILANTLY’ ALERT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright > LONDON, February 6. The HoHa correspondent of tlie “Daily Mail" says King Boris and rhe Bulgarian Govmem are both attempting to evade war. but seem .slowly io be losing control of the situation. The resignation of the Minister of Agriculture, M. Bagrianoft', shows that the policy of neutrality is cracking.

Three divisions of newly called-up troops are being sent to the Greek frontier. The effect of this would be to draw off the Greek pressure on the Italians, for which reason the move is almost certainly the result of German influence.

Meanwhile. Turkey remains watchful and quietly continues to prepare. The Istanbul correspondent of "The Times" says that President Roosevelt’s representative. Colonel Donovan, after discussions with the Turkish Premier, Dr. Saydam, and the Foreign Minister, M. Saracoglu. and also military leaders left a good impression as a result of his clarification of America’s attitude: Turkey sees no reason to relax her vigilance.

The newspaper. ’'Ulus,” urges the country to be fully prepared for war before the spring. The Turkish general stall is confident that any frontal attack from Bulgaria against the Turkish fortifications in Thrace must fail, but it would be dangerous if they in filtrated across Bulgaria and took up positions on the Greek frontier. Discussing such a possibility, the newspaper. "Yenisabah." declared that Turkey would act before the Germans reached the Greek frontier. MOVE THAT FAILED. The Sofia correspondent of “The Times" says that the resignation of M. Bagrianoft' has caused a sensation in political circles. He is one of the King’s closest friends and is aLo very popular among the peasants, and yet King Boris has approved his resignation. Ir. appears that M. Bagrianoft was over-confident last week when he made a speech in Parliament criticising the Government’s economic policy, expecting the Cabinet to resign. King Boris, who hitherto has conceded much, obviously did not like the latest manoeuvres. The resignation weakens the position of the Cabinet, but frees the Government of a politician who aims to institute a totalitarian economic system. It is not believed that the resignation will affect the foreign policy. The Sofia correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says it is reported from Berlin that officials are surprised and disappointed. The Bulgarian Premier’s refusal to agree to closer collaboration with Germany is regarded as an unfriendly act. The German Press has recently been hailing M. Bagrianoft as the coming Premier.

OPINION IN LONDON. Note has been taken on London of repeated Bulgarian assertions of the desire to maintain the country’s neutrality and independence. The sincerity of this desire is not doubted, and it would obviously be against Bulgaria's interest to allow herself to become a theatre of war. In London it is regarded as unthinkable that, with the sad example of Rumania before them, all patriotic and responsible Bulgarians do not realise the danger and take steps to meet it.

The development of the whole Balkan situation is being carefully watched in London, where the facts are well known.

The Berlin news agency says that Dr. Lasylo de Barcossy, former Hungarian Minister to Rumania, suceeds the late County Csaky as Foreign Minister.

It is reported from Budapest that Russian and Hungarian technical commissions are planning a direct railway connection with the object of furthering trade betewen Russia and Hungary.

A bomb exploded in the readingroom of the Anglo-Yugoslavia Club in Zagreb, one door below the British Consulate-General, and destroyed books and furniture and injured a woman