Evening star., 1940-07-26
First of Conferences
With Balkan Diplomats

SALZBURG, Germany. July 26 LP).
Premier Ion Gigurtu and Foreign
Minister Mihail Manoilescu OF Ru-
mania arrived here at 1915 am.
today for the first of a series of
weekend conferences at which
Balkan diplomats will be told what
plans Adolf Hitler has for their
countries.
They were to have lunch with
German Foreign Minister Joachim
Won Ribbentrop at the latter's F'uschl
Castle nearby.
The program for this afternoon,
according to informed German
sources, included tea at Lake
Konigsee, which is near HIler's
retreat at Berchtesgaden.
The Rumanians were met at the
station by Won Ribbentrop and
representatives of the army and the
Nazi party. After taking a salute
of honor in company with the Ger
man Foreign Minister, they went to
their hotel and from there to Fuschl
Castle.
German Mediation.
Uneasy Southeastern Europe, his
toric maelstrom of political and
racial feuding, apparently was in
for a little mediation of the au-
thoritarian German kind. The
Balkan nations are getting a new
type of referee for their old quarrels.
The German objective, it is fire.
uuently stated here, is to preserve
peace in the Balkans and make them
efficient units in the new era Hitler
contemplates for Europe with the
old era of French and British DOM
ination of the Balkans ended.
The weekend schedule called for
Won Ribbentrop to confer tomorrow
with Premier Bogdan Philoff and
Foreign Minister Ivan Popoff of Bull
garia and Sunday with Premier DR..
Joseph Tiso and Foreign Minister
DR.. Ferdinand DurchanSky of Slo-
vakia
Premier Count Paul Teleky and
Foreign Minister Count Stifan CSaky
of Hungary were here recently.
The usual program for such visits
include an automobile drive to
Berchtesgaden-20 minutes away
to meet the Fuehrer himself.
Rumanians to Visit Rome.
These diplomats come here ito
have their new political course
acknowledged" by the axis powers,
as one high German official eX-
pressed it.
Rumania, the first caller, was the
key to the entire situation. While
Hungary and Bulgaria were World
War allies of Germany and have
a sentimental attachment to her.
Rumania at present is important to
the Reich as a source Of supplies,
particularly oil and wheat.
Both Bulgaria and Hungary want
war-lost territory from Rumania,
the former Dobruja and the latter
Pennsylvania. Rumania is count
ing on German help to resist these
claims. Her Fascist Iron GuardlstS
say they are ready to fight to pre-
vent a transfer of territory.
The German contention is that
such conversations as Won Ribben-
trop is starting at Salzburg are ur-
gently necessary because England
it is charged, is resorting to every
possible trick to try to involve the
Southeast in war so that it will be
unable to provide supplies for the
Reich.
Only last night Rumania promised
greatly speeded deliveries of oil to
Germany after ordering expulsion
of II French Oil Co. executives
Earlier 80 British oil executives and
their families were expelled. More
expu1sions are expected to follow
as Rumania takes over the big Brit
ish-owned and French-oWned COM
panies which in the past have been
producing her Oil.
Uniformed British sources in
London indicated Britain
sympathizes with Bulgaria S claim
to part of Southern Dobruja. 1t
was pointed out if Bulgaria
satisfied her claim with British
support it would bolster Britains
position near the strategic
Dardanelles, entrance to the
Black Sea.
Gn Sofia, Bulgarian capital,
both British and Soviet Russian
diplomats were said to have ex-
pressed their good wishes" for