Evening star., 1941-03-23
Yuqos|avs Bow to Nazi U|timatum
To Join Axis; Revolt Fears Rise;
SovietP|edgeto TurkeyReported
Violent Internal
Dissent Against
Pact Appears
BY tbs Associated Press.

bELGRADE, YugOSlaVld, MdrCA
22.-The Yugoslav government,
yielding to a German ultimatum,
committed itself tonight to enter
the axis orbit despite grave fears
that the step might cause civil
war.
Mass designations of high Off
cials opposed to the alliance,
street demonstrations in many
cities, and uneasy friction in the
army ranks were grave manifesto
tions of the violent and growing
internal dissent.
The harried chief regent, Prince
Paul, was reported on reliable au-
thority, however, to have arranged
and Foreign Minister Alexander
Cincar- -Markovich to leave for
Vienna tomorrow night to come to
terms with the axis, barring last
minute complications. The atmoS-
phere was surcharged with the pos
sibility of such complications.
Warning by Nazi Envoy.
Government quarters said the
German Minister to YugoSlavia had
issued a fiat warning that there
must be "an immediate end of pro-
crastination" because Adolf Hitler
was not prepared to tolerate delay
past tomorrow night.
With this ultimatum hanging
over his head, Paul was reliably
reported to have patched up his
broken cabinet by persuading Serbs
to take two of the positions va
Gated by anti-axis members and
handing the third portfolio to
Slovene already in the cabinet.
The Slovene, Minister Without
Portfolio Kulovec, helped break the
crisis by accepting the additional
post of Minister of Justice after
1t was turned down by Croatia's
vice governor, Svetozar Ivkovich.
Ivkovich resigned as vice governor
in protest against the axis pro-
gram.
The new members were said to be
DR.. Voja Gjorgjevich, chairman of
the agricultural cooperative, as
Minister of Agriculture, and DR..
Dragomir Ikonich, former director
of the Serb Democratic party, as
Minister of Social Welfare.
Cabinet to Be Reformed.
According to the government
plan, the cabinet would be re-
formed tomorrow and approve the
German demands in time for the
trip to Vienna, just "a hours later
than originally intended.
The only possible hitch which
could develop, it appeared, would
be the resignation of additional
ministers who might thus create
secondary crisis merely to postpone
the Journey to Germany.
Friends of two ministers who are
not too keen on the turn of events
said they might resign "as a pa
triotic gesture" Even if this does
not happen, many observers be-
lieved the government had only
temporarily fixed things up.
For example, the Army Reserve
Officers Association disbanded to-
day with the statement:
1--WE have learned we are on the
eve of conclusion of an agreement
which does not conform with our
national honor and independence.
This is why we give expression to
our protest as reserve officers and
combatants and have decided to dis
solve our organization.
I'VE declare ourselves ready to de-
fend with our lives our independ-
ence, soveT eighty and the frontiers
of our country. We are true to our
King and fatherland and inspired
by national ideals"
Anxious Consultations Held.
The war minister, the high COM
mand and army corps leaders met
in anxious consultations.
Zivojin Balugdzich, former Minis
ter to Berlin and tutor of the late
King Alexander, summed up the
situation as making civil war or
war with Germany the only two
courses now open to our country"
That the government has chosen
to risk the former instead of the
latter was indicated by a commu-
nique to be published in all Yugo-
slav newspapers tomorrow.
It said great nations can afford
to undergo risks, but small nations
cannot, so Yugoslavia has decided
to maintain neutrality and peace
as q basic condition of her develop
ment and progress.
I'VE demand nothing from any,
body, but we yield nothing. We do
not want to use our weapons except
in case of attack, for self-defense.
Consequently, Yugoslavia will re-
main outside the war and not wage
war so long as her sovereign rights
are respected.
"Such moments as this demand
(See YUGOSLAVIA, Page A-18)