Evening star., 1940-04-07
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 6.-The allied
economic offensive was propelled
firmly ahead tonight from the Bal
kans to the Baltic.
In the face of anxious distress
sigals from the neutrals, including
a declaration from Norway's Foreign
Minister Halvdan Koht that Norway
will "at once" be forced into war
If there is open, one~sided violation
Of her neutrality, the British Foreign
Office stood firm on its warning
notes to Norway and Sweden. At
the same time the vanguard of
Britain's Balkan diplomats, return
ing from blockade consultations,
reached London.
British Minister of Economic War
fare Ronald Cross and French
Blockade Minister Georges Monnet.
in conference here, issued q joint
statement declaring the allies
complete agreement and common
determination" on tightening the
intended strangle-hold on Germany.
They indicated they were in ac-
cord on ways and means Of plugging
such blockade gaps, for instance, as
the air routes through which the
Nazis are belived receiving cur
rency, securities and commercial
diamonds.
Reich Linked to U. S. by Air.
In this connection. it is noted here
that K. L. NJ, the Netherlands Air
line, now flies direct twice weekly
from Amsterdam to Lisbon, where
1t connects with Pan-American serv-
ice to the United States, while the
German airline, Lufthansa, flies
mail and express daily from Amster-
dam to Berlin No details of how
the allies propose to try to stop
such traffic were made public.
Reviewing Foreign Secretary Lord
Haiifax's messages to the two
northern neutrals in the light of
Koht's speech, informed observers
felt that these notes bore heavily
on the right of Great Britain to
interfere" with German ore ships
within Scandinavian neutral waters.
officials would not, however, say
what they thought of Koht's declar-
alton. Anything they said, they ex-
llained, would only add to Nor
ways neutrality problems.
Some felt that the notes carried
a strong warning to the effect that
this covered way" for German raw
material supplies cannot be left
open and boldly outlined allied re-
prisals in the event of "one- sided
neutrality" by Norway and Sweden.
The notes have not been made
public, and foreign Office spokes-
men are reluctant to comment on
them. However, with typical indi-
rection, they said the possibility
could mot be excluded" that the
Scandinavian states received notice
that the allies would oppose with
force any further Russian incur
sion in Finland.
Two Already in London.
Already in London for conversa-
tions with Lord Halifax on the prob
lem of choking of Germany's Bal
kans supplies are Sir Charles Pal
airet, the Minister to Greece, and
Owen st. Clair O'Malley, the Min
lister to Hungary. Arriving tomor-
row is Sir Hughe Knatchbull- HUI
guessen, Britain's No. l diplomat in
the Balkans. He now is Ambassador
to Turkey.
From outside of the country there
were reports today that a 2,819-ton
Yugoslav freighter, the Dubac
bound for Italy, had been seized by
British warships of the coast OF
Greece and taken to the block
ade station at Malta and that q
British cruiser and three destroy
ers were in the Adriatic to head of
any attempts by Germany to use
neutral waters there for a sea route
for Balkan products which could
be trans-shipped by rail from Italy
to the Reich.
Moreover, persons who profess to
be in the know in London contended
that Britains use of money in the
Balkans to stop German supplies is
proceeding favorably.
Our object is to outbid Germany
for copper, agricultural produce,
bauxite and OIL" the magazine
Economist explained. AT the same
time we seek to halt the flow of
such materials to Germany by trade
pacts which ration such exports"
Reich's Economic Poverty Cited.
Minister of Supply Leslie Burgin,
stressing Germany's economic "pov-
(See LONDON, Page A-18)