Evening star., 1940-11-21
Antonescu
In Germany for
Axis Talks
Groundwork Believed
Already Laid for
Pact Adherence
By the Associated Press.


BERLIN, Nov. 21.-Gen. Ion
AntoneScu, Premier of Rumania, ar
rived in Germany today, bringing
his country to the fore as the prob
able next recruit for the expanding
axis alliance.
Accompanied by his foreign min
lister. Prince Costin Sturza. and the
German Minister TO Rumania
Wilhelm Fabricius, the Rumanian
Premier was greeted at the Austrian
border town of Bruck by the Ger
man chief of protocol, Baron Alex
ander Won Doernberg. and other high
Reich officials.
As Gen AntoneScu reached Ger
many, authorized German sources
observed that if the United States
were to go TO war against any one
of the axis powers, not only Hungary,
which Joined the alliance Yesterday.
but all other countries which may
vet join automatically will be at
war with America. Also those Coun-
tries would find themselves at war
with England, it was said.
One authorized commentator added
that adherence to the pact auto
matically means that the axis powers
can move troops through the ad-
herring country.
Emphasis on Solidarity.
This source said. however, that
emphasis is to be laid not on the
military aspects Of the alliance, but
on the moral solidarity of European
nations. which. he said. resent Brit
iSh interference on the continent.
Since Gen. AntoneScu recently
conferred in Rome with Italian
Premier MuSsolini. observers here
presumed that the groundwork al
ready has been prepared for Ru-
mania TO follow Hungary's footsteps
in Joining the l0-year military, po-
htical and economic compact with
Germany, Italy and Japan.
Vienna. once proud capital OF
Nazi- annexed Austria and scene OF
Yesterdays addition OF Hungary TO
the now four-pOWer pact, again be-
came just another German provIn-
cial city as the array of diplomats
departed
Adolf Hitler, Field Marshal Gen.
Wilhelm Keitel. chief Of the German
high command. and Joachim Won
Ribbentrop the NaZl Foreign Min
lister, left last night.
Ciano Returns to Rome.
Count Galeazzo Ciano. Italian
Foreign Minister, returned to Rome
by airplane today from Vienna,
where he witnessed Hungary's ad-
mission to the alliance. Earlier
this week he conferred with Hitler.
Observers viewed Hungary's for
ma, enrolment within the axis as
another step in diplomatic drive
toward the Mediterranean which,
with the addition of other South
eastern European nations might
open an axis highway all the wy TO
the lano frontiers OF Greece and
Turkey.
In this connection it was need
that German troops already are on
Rumanlan soil and that informed
sources have declared that the
visit of King Boris OF Bulgaria to
Hitler las Sunday served the
new political order in Europe"
The possibility that little Slova-
kia, remnant of German-disSolved
CZecho-S -Slovakia. also may sign
up was indicated by the well-con-
nected DienSt aus Deutschland
commentary. which disclosed that
Slovakia's Premier. Prof. Bella
Tuka, is expected shortly in Ber-
lin.
Other Axis Prospects.
In Budapest, also, Rumanla,
Slovakia and Bulgaria were
looked on as prospects for the
spreading alliance. For Ger
man-protected Slovakia and Iron
Guardist Rumania adherence
would be little more than a for
NAL declaration of close Don
with Berlin. For Bulgaria, mem
berShip might provote ambitions
for regaining an Aegean Sea out
let through Greece.
(Turkey, however, took some of
the edge off of axis enthusiasm
in the Balkans by her strong
anti-aXis attitude over Hungary'S
entry into the pact and the as
Sertion of authoritative Turks
that their government would re-
fuse to approve any passage of
German forces through Bulgaria,
even if Turkey were guaranteed
against attack.
IF, as many in the Balkans
fear, the axis diplomatic expan-
sion foreShadoWS a military drive
in the Mediterranean war the
ater, no big offensive was believed
to be likely before next spring.
Seen Improbable Before Spring.
Informed observers in Bern,
Switzerland, said it was ,improb-
able that two necessities-eff-
cient, swift supply lines through
the Balkans in the east and
Spain's cooperation in the west
could be fulfilled before then.
The only possible German
military action in that direction
(See AXIS, Page ABB