Evening star., 1940-06-30

COnlm1ttee IN LOnGOn TO rally
"tree Frenchmen" to fight on.
A. P. Photo.
Apparently seeking data on Nazi con-
centrations and possible launching of at
tack on Isles, British raiders claimed ac-
QUESTION of much useful information"
Quite probably taste of what is to
come, German flyers traded bomb for
bomb with Britishers in these days and
nights, blasting frequently at industrial
areas in English midland country and
at inviting communities on Scottish
coast.
No accurate estimate of results was
obtainable from either side-both claimed
hits on military objectives, charged use
of incendiary bombs by enemy, and ad-
mitted only to civilian casualties. Each
lost planes but not in material numbers.
Still not intensive but likely to become
so were Nazi submarine attacks. In one
day, German communique claimed three
merchantmen sunk off southwest coast
: of Ireland, identifying one of victims as
12,000-ton Saranac.
focused attention on uneasiness of that
island and both north and
Irish south governments were re-
Reody ported under mobilization.
Dublin, anxious to keep out
OF this war, nevertheless has demon
strated its fear of parachute invasion
and promised an Irish welcome" to any
foreign forces.
In Mediterranean area, British and
Italians still were short of total war"
but thus far there has been no move
on part of British to withdraw fleet
from this strategic but potentially dan
gerous zone. Principal concentrations
are at Alexandria, guarding Suez Canal
entrance and blocking italian use of
this waterway; at Gibraltar, shutting
Italians off from access to Atlantic, and
at Malta, disturbingly close to toe of
Italy's boot
AS in British German hostllities, pres
ent conflict in Mediterranean consists
mostly of exchange of air raids. On
Wednesday, Rome admitted British raid
on Naples; important south Italian sea-
port
British also claimed important dam
age to Italian airdrome in Libya and
another in Italian East Africa. But ItaI-
ian damage to Malta and loss of British
frontier outposts on Ethiopia -Somaliland
border were admitted.
Shocking to Italians was death in
action of their air hero, Italo Balbo, of
s~L,&
bolbo governor general of Libya.
Killed Wealthy but weak Ru-
mania was being put on the
rack in recent days-perhaps to be 10
Gale of another phase of this most mur-
derous of wars.
Succumbing to Berlin pressure to ex-
tent of reshaping its government into
totalitarian pattern and beginning i'm
mediate oppression of Jews, Rumania
encountered unexpected trouble early
last week in form of Russian squeeze for
Bessarabia.
Lying between original body of Rumenia
and Soviet frontier, Bessarabia is agri-
cultural province of about 1900 square
miles and 100000 population. Once
ullQCl vi hloll IL was llISI taken
over by Russia in 1912 and remained
under Russian domination until set up
| as autonomous state by treaty of Brest-
Litovsk in 1918. Subsequently, it was
annexed by Rumania-an action which
has irked Moscow government ever since.
Climaxing several days of tension and
| sporadic frontier friction, Bucharest an
nounced late Thursday that it was &C.
ceding to Moscow demands not only for
Bessarabia, but for North Bucovina, ad-
| jacent area, plus naval privileges along
nations Black Sea shore and in Danube
area. Latter would give Soviet control
of Danube navigation, important to
Reich scheme for obtaining Southeast
European products.
| AS Red Army marched in, Rumania's s
King Carol dispatched frantic appeal
to Berlin and hastily re-
Reds in inforced troops in Tran
Rumonio sylvania sector coveted by
Hungary.
With usual background of confusion
and intrigue which characteriZes diplo-
macy in Balkans, it was not Immediately
determined what Nazi reaction might
be to pending Hungarian and Bull
garian claims on Rumania. As events
| developed, however, there was every in