Evening star., 1940-04-14
Soviet Is Reported
Protesting Rumanian
Incidents in Note
Buchorest's Relations
With Reich Grow Worse;
Press Attacks Germany
~ the Associated Press,


BY the Associated Press.
BUCHAREST, April 13.-Soviet
Russia has handed the Rumanian
Minister in Moscow a note, Ger
man sources here reported today
as relations between Rumania and
the Reich grew worse.
The contents of the note were un-
disclosed publicly, and the Ru-
manian Foreign Minister, Grigore
Gafencu, denied knowledge of it,
but it was understood to protest a
number of incidents on the Ru-
manian side Of the Soviet-Ru-
manian frontier
Crisis Appears Near.
Meanwhile, the adverse turn in
Rumanian-German relations topped
the increasingly serious situation
throughout Southeastern Europe,
with events apparently moving
speedily toward crisis.
Rumania maintained her virtual
embargo on exports to Germany to-
night while the nations press lashed
out at the Reich.
The Rumanian Cabinet Economic
Council met for five hours, but
failed to reach an agreement on
the complete list of products which
will be banned for export. The
council adjourned until next week
without lifting the order forbidding
the loading of freight cars and river
barges with oil, wheat and other
products for the Reich.
1t was expected that immediate
economic demands might be forth
coming soon from Germany.
Reply to German Embargo.
Rumania's embargo came after
Germany had forbidden the expor-
tation to Rumania Of many articles,
including metallurgical coke, vital
to the Rumanian ore industry.
The government-inspired Bucha-
rest press meanwhile published re-
markably similar editorials lashing
out at the fantastic assertions Of
fantastic incidents" in certain for
eign press" Informed quarters said
this referred to the German press
campaign against the English
tempted sabotage on the Danube.
Germany recently charged that
Britain planned to dynamite barges
in the Danube River to block the
flow of supplies over that waterway
to Germany British quarters here
acknowledged that a fleet of British
barges seized on the Danube by
Rumania carried explosives, but in
sisted they were to be used only for
destroying allied river craft if Ger
many invaded Rumania.
Threat Given Two Countries.
In Belgrade, cabinet ministers told
foreign ENJOYS that Germany had
notified Yugoslavia and Rumania
that "if German shipping is sabo-
tagged on the Danube, Germany will
be forced to walk in to protect the
barges herself"
At Budapest, the Yugoslav. Ru-
manian, Greek and Turkish minis
ters conferred. 1t was reported they
discussed reports that German
troops were concentrated on the
Hungarian and Yugoslav frontiers,
planning to sweep through Hungary
to Rumania and through Yugeslavia
to Salonika, Greece, in a move to
occupy Southeastern Europe and
obtain tight grip on regions con-
tanning vital oil, wheat, metal and
foodstuffs.
While three German gunboats
were reported at Bratislava-for a
dash into the Balkans down the
Danube-French and British quar-
ters in Hungary and Rumania ex-
pressed concern over the reported
passage of thousands of German
tourists" through Hungary to Ru-
mania. The allied quarters charged
that the tourists" in reality are
Nazi troops hurrying to Rumania
as the advance guard.
Won't Receive Clodius.
It was learned that members of
the Rumanian government have re-
fused to receive DR.. Kari Clodius,
head Of German trade commission
now in Bucharest, after weeks of
dlckerlng over German demands for
Rumanian oil and wheat.
Considerable worry was caused in
Yugoslavia and Greece by reports
that 25,000 more Italian "colonists"
have been sent to Albania. An equal
number arrived in Tirana a fort
night ago. Yugoslavia expressed the
belief that they are "colonists with
considerable military training"