EXTENDING GRIP

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21248, 19 October 1940, Page 7

EXTENDING GRIP

AXIS IN RUMANIA ! AIMS IN THE BALKANS CONTROL OF FRANCE (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Oct. 17 I The Balkans correspondent of the j Times says -refugees confirm reports j of the continued arrival of large i reinforcements of Russian troops, j including detachments with queer- • looking tanks, regarding which the j Soviet soldiers are boasting: “These j will give our German friends some- | thing to think about.” The Axis is rapidly extending its grip on Rumanian communications. Germany is reported to have dei manded the right to control all roads i in Rumania. The Italians are formI ing a company to provide fresh ton- ! nage for Danube oil transport. ! Germany is also showing an in--1 terest in the Vlach minority in Yugoslavia, as part of a campaign for disruption from within. It is reliably reported that the German Minister in Bucharest is urging the Rumanian Government to sponsor the claims of the Vlachs for special treatment. ! The origin of this scattered minority jis uncertain. They were once con-

sidered Greek, but have lately been encouraged to regard themselves as Rumanians.

An Italian company, states the Paris radio, is to build a new road from Bucharest to the Rumanian port of Galatz. This coincides with reported plans of Germany and Italy to establish a naval base at Constanza. Take Over Whole of France? A Times correspondent who was recently in France says early action , by the Germans to take over the j whole of France is not improbable. It would have two main purposes; j firstly, to control the Mediterranean | coastline and the Pyrenean frontier j more effectively, and secondly to ! harness French industry in Southern • France to Germany’s pressing needs. ! A high German official is reported | to have said that it is vitally neces- ! sary for the Germans to forestall, ■ always and everywhere, any posj sible British move. The Germans j are anxious to find industries out- | side the range of British bombers in i order to maintain essential war out--1 put. Manufacturing centres in : Southern France might partly meet j the need. The consequences of such a move j to followers of General de Gaulle in France and the French colonies is I difficult to estimate, but it must increase their number and the feeling that France’s only hope is in the formation of another Government, in i North Africa or elsewhere, j However, reports from Morocco ; and France's other Mediterranean possessions show a strong and rapid increase in German control in recent weeks. The so-called armistice and disarmament commissions which have gone to Tunis, Algeria, Casablanca and Dakar have been followed by civilian and military personnel, ■who are assuming effective control of key services. NOT LEAVING GOVERNESSES REMAIN BRITISH IN RUMANIA (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Oct. 19. 11 a.m.) BUCHAREST, Oct. 18 While the last batches of Britishers are leaving for Turkey, a number of I governesses (mostly elderly women) in Rumania refuse to move and say j they will remain on their own rel sponsibility. Port officials delayed I the refugee ships and exhaustively examined the passengers for hours. A message from Vichy says that a new decree bars Jews from participating in public life and also from some private activities.