1940-04-17 — Page 1

STAVANGER AIRPORT WRECKED PAGE 7ATE FINAL

RICKSHAW

BRAND CEYLON TEA

CHINA MAIL

OLDEST NEWSPAPER IN THE FAR EAST. ESTABLISHED 1845.

No. 310,07

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1940

Price: 10 Cts.

INSIST ON

Daisy Brand

Australia's Choicest

BUTTER

SWORD OVER

BALKANS

NEW BALKAN DEFENCE PACT LOOMS

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

Bucharest, To-day.

An indication that common ef- forts are being exercised by the Balkan countries for their com mon security was given yester. a good day by reports from

that Rumania, Yugo- source Slavin, Hungary and Bulgaria will soon open negotiations for the conclusion of an agreement between the four countries. Havas..

IF ITALY MOVES

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")

(SPECIAL TO “CHINA ́MAIL ")-

PARIS, TO-DAY.

HEAVY MOVEMENTS OF GERMAN TROOPS TO THE EASTERN AND SOUTH- EASTERN FRONTIERS OF AUSTRIA AND ITALY'S EQUIVOCAL AT- TITUDE HAVE EXCITED THE BALKAN COUNTRIES AND STIRRED THE BRITISH AND FRENCH WAR OFFICES TO NEW ACTIVITY.

Fear is rapidly growing that the military developments in Scandinavia, the assassination in Bucharest of two alleged German spies, a man and a wo- man, breakdown of further Nazi-Rumania trade negotiations, and warning of fresh Allied pressures to stiffen the blockade of Germany from the Balkans, will soon have violent repercussions. Italy's policy furnishes the imponderable factor in

the situation.

Mussolini has cancelled the "peace speech" he might have made at the Rome Exhibition meet- ing fixed for Saturday, and it is obvious that should Germany act, Italy could not remain pas- sively on the side-lines.

London, To-day. The Italian and Russian attitudes to the present con- flict were among the main Big questions discussed during recent political conferences in London, well-informed quarters declare.

a

This attitude is considered all the more important as it is known with absolute certainty that Germady re- quested Russian help in the bean dinavian adventure. -

LOST PRESTIGE Political circles believe Berlin and Moscow failed to agree on

common Balkan polley, and the

changed Russian attitude was evidenc- ed in Foreign Commissar Molotov's speech when he clearly indicated that policy in the Balkans.

Russla was following an independent

question-mark is whether Italy would throw her weight into the scales against German invasion of Yugoslavia and Rumania, or whether she would move to take, say, Yugoslavia under her "protection." While only a

does not come now from Germany month ago at the

and Russia but-from Germany and Brenner interview Hitler and Musso-

Italy, political circles belleve. lini had apparently decided to pre-

For the third time in four days serve the Balkan status quo, now Ger- many needs a spectacular success to Russia yesterday semi-officially, in- compensate for the failure of the dicated she has no military ties with WEATHER FORECAST:—Erst winds,

Scandinavian campaign.

Switzerland German circles in openly admit the Relch needs a swift and spectacular success, and concentrations Important military

Any Italian aggression against one of her neighbours would soon produce effects equivalent to direct intervention against the Allies, the same ciroles point out, as a solid political pattern links Turkey with also the Allies, while Turkey Is linked with Greece, Rumania and Yugo-Slavia by the Balkan Entente. As regards Russia, she apparently

are taking place in Austria. desires no new political or military

Meanwhile, Norway's resistance. adventures, but on the other hand the

Germany's failure to maintain her Allies are adopting a cautious attitude and will wait until Russia clearly in-ground and the quick and effective dicates that she is maintaining abso- Alled intervention, have produced an lute neutrality and that her trade with excellent impression in the Ballcans. the Reich will not seriously affect the Allied blockade. Havas.

BALTIC SEA MINING REVELATION

(SPECIAL TO “CHINA. MAIL") London, To-day. It has just been revealed that the Allied mining of the Baltic Sea was carried out by air, in which French planes co-operated with the R.A.F.”

The London papers point out that over 20 French warships, as well as several units of the Polish fast, par- ticipated in the naval action of the Norwegian coasts."

The papers stress the close co-opera-, tion the Allied forces have instituted since the very beginning of the war.

HAVDE

The whole Rumanian press openly praises Norway and King Haakon des- pite frantic efforts by German nropa- gandists to get their views published.

Havas.

Serious Danger

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL"

Paris, To-day.

The political situation in Europe. and chiefly the attitude of the non- belligerent powers, is becoming in- creasingly clear as military events develoo in Northern Europe.

the

·Serlous danger exists" for

threat Balkan countries. but the

MEXICAN REPLY TO U.S. OIL NOTE -(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL")

Maxico, City. To-day.

The Mexican Government's-reply to the American Note suggesting that the off dispute be settled by arbitration will be a firm relection, based ~ on clauses in International-law, according to well-informed “ ciròles.

Germany.

Meanwhile, observers point out that the Nazia will not be able to nonpont for long from the German population the defeats in Scandinavia and will attempt a blitzkrieg motion in south- east Europe to regain lost prestige.--- Havas.

moderate; cloudy generally.

HAVE AN H.B.

HOR

AND THEN TRY!