WILL NOT JOIN PACT

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21361, 4 March 1941, Page 5

WILL NOT JOIN PACT

YUGOSLAVIA’S OFFICIAL ASSURANCE INVADING NAZIS WILL MEET BRITISH TURKEY NOT AFRAID OF GERMAN BOGEY < United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March 4, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 3 Official circles in Belgrade give an assurance that Yugoslavia has no intention of joining the Axis pact and is determined to continue her neutrality. This claim is proved hy the anti-aircraft action against German planes which violated YTigoslav territory. Many women and children are being evacuated from Istanbul to Ankara. The semi-official newspaper Tan says that if the Germans start marching to Salonika through Bulgaria they will certainly meet the British and probably a Turkish-British combine. The Turks do not minimise the danger to which they are exposed, but the German bogey does not frighten them. Mobilisation is progressing in Bulgaria, but reservists are receiving rifles without ammunition owing to Government fear of their unreliability. Arrests among oppositionists, mainly journalists and politicians, continue. The Government, until further notice, has closed the frontier. Nobody may leave without a special permit from the War Office.

TURKISH MOVES DARDANELLES MINED TALKS WITH BRITAIN MINISTERS CONFER (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON. March 3 The Turks are reported to have mined the Dardanelles and the Turkish Fleet is said to be leaving Istanbul and heading for the Dardanelles. Commenting on the talks with Britain, the Turkish newspaper Yenisabah says they have established that Turkey alone will decide if, when and how aggression is directed against her. and what action will be necessary thereafter. The British Ambassador to Moscow. Sir Stafford Cripps. has returned to Moscow after bidding farewell to Mr Eden. British Foreign Minister, with whom he conferred in Ankara. Sir Stafford also conferred with M. Saracoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister. and the Soviet Ambassador to Turkey. The Turkish budget will reach £60.000,000, an increase of £7.000.000 over the previous year. Included in the new items of expenditure are additional national defence needs, further appropriations for railways and reconstruction work, and security measures made necessary by the war in Europe. BULGARIAN CHAMBER SIGNING OF PACT OPPOSITION BY MEMBERS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlc'nt) LONDON, March 3 Although the German news agency states that the Bulgarian Chamber accepted a statement by the Prime Minister, Professor Filoff, on the German invasion with an absolute majority, other messages report that there was considerable opposition by 20 members, and that demonstrations were going on when the session closed. BULGARIAN CREDITS "FREEZING” IN AMERICA (United press Assn.—Elec. Tel. CCpyrtghi) I (Received March 4, 11 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 3 Y Mr Cordell Hull has advised the I Treasury to freeze Bulgarian credits. A later report states that the order for the freezing of credits now awaits Mr Roosevelt’s signature. Bulgarian investments in the l United States are about 100,000 dollars only. GERMANS IN POLAND AVOIDANCE OF CONFLICT CONFISCATION OF BUSINESSES (United Press Assi. —Elec. Tel. Copy rig-lit) (Received March 4. 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, March 3 I According to the Munich Neueste Nachrichten 9000 Germans have left Warsaw for “Incorporated Poland,” to avoid the possibility of a conflict , with the local Polish population, j The Germans are taking over \ houses, shops and businesses for- | merly belonging to Poles, i The German police have formed | special mechanised units to pursue polish bandits. | The railings of Berkeley Square. London, except those round the founi tain, are being removed to make scrap iron for munitions. Berkeley k Square was laid out in 1709 as part V of the development of the Mayfair 7 district ’ which took place between 1700 and 1750.

YUGOSLAVIA NEXT ? MINISTER SEES REGENT ORDERS BY RIBBENTROP REQUEST FOR CO-OPERATION United Press Assn.— El**e. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, March 3 The Associated Press correspondent at Zagreb, Yugoslavia, says it is authoritatively reported that the German Minister, von Herren, im-

mediately after Bulgaria had signed the Tripartite Pact, obtained an audience with Prince Paul, Regent of Yugoslavia. Von Herren is stated to have informed Prince Paul concerning Ribbentrop’s views about Yugoslavia cooperating in the new order, especially in the light of Bulgaria’s adherence. He said that Yugoslavia’s present mobilisation was costing £418,000 a day, and then alluded to the strength of German arms in Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania. He asked what Yugoslavia’s attitude would be if she were formally invited to join the Tripartite Pact. Prince Paul did not answer definitely, but indicated that Yugoslavia might favourably consider an invitation in the near future. The German radio quoted a wellinformed Yugoslav as forecasting closer co-operation between the Axis and Yugoslavia. The Berlin correspondent of the Zurich newspaper Die Tats describes Bulgaria’s decision to sign the Tripartite Pact as “the first indirect product of the recent Turco-Bulgarian declaration.” The paper predicts that Yugo- 1 slavia, as the last Balkan Power friendly to Germany, may be expected to take the same step in the very near future. ONE ENORMOUS FRONT NO DANGER FROM SOVIET CONFIDENCE IN GERMANY (United pre?s Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) MOSCOW. March 3 The Moscow press devotes over two columns to a statement by the German War Ministry spokesman in which he dismissed the possibility of war on two fronts. He added that the Russian army of 1914-17 decisively influenced the Germany, but today there was no Anglo-French success by engaging danger from the rear, only one enorj mous front. Britain was wrongly expecting 1 strain in the Mediterranean to : weaken the German stroke on the decisive front. President Roosevelt’s special envoy, Colonel W. J. Donovan, has arrived at Lisbon by air from Madrid. He conferred with the Prime Minister, Dr. Salazar, in the presence of the American Charge d’Affaires.