Evening star., 1941-02-23
Bu|gar Students
Shout Against
Nazi0ccupation
Reich Stoff Officers
Establish Selves
In Sofiu Hotel
BY ROBERT ST. JOHN,


Associated Press War Correspondent
SOFIA, Bulgaria, Feb. 22.-Nad
general staff officers in civilian
clothes, their black military boots
shining under their raincoats, began
establishing themselves in Sofia this
afternoon and from the city's leading
hotel they peered quietly out at
groups of angry students shouting
against the German occupation of
Bulgaria"
On newly erected posts on the
highways leading from the Rumanian
frontier toward the interior of Bull
garla, new road signs printed in
German appeared.
But up to late afternoon. watchers
along the Danube reported that no
regular Nazi troop movement into
this country had begun, although the
river border is laced with Nazi
pontoons. This troubled country
may become the German high road
to Greece and Turkey.
The police here arrested nearly so
radical Agrarian leaders without eX-
PLANTATION at almost the moment the
first German officers arrived. Ad-
ditional anti-aircraft guns were
mounted on the National Bank
building in the center of the city.
Reds Order Nom Cooperation.
The British Educational Institute,
which is connected with the British
Legation. hurriedly shut its door and
its four British directors made haste
to leave the country.
The legation remains. although the
minister has made it clear that con-
tinued diplomatic relations with
Bulgaria depend upon German
movements"
To their tens Of thousands Of
followers the Communist leaders
were understood to have sent the
word by grapevine:
resist the German invasion by
non-cooperation propaganda, but
not by force"
Students singing natlonahslc
songs paraded not only in front Of
the Royal Palace but under the
windows of this hotel.
Two of its new guests arrived an
hour ego in ill-ftting multi Four
days ago I saw the same mer N
the uniform of German general
staff officers in the Athenee Palace
Hotel in Bucharest, Rumania.
National Roundup Looms.
A strong undercover movement to
oppose or hamper the Germans was
evident; it likewise appeared that
the arrests already made by the
police were but preliminary to a
national roundup of the dissidenC.
There were some suggestions that
sabotage might be attempted by
peasant symphathizers of the Soviet
Union.
Axis sources looSed a stream Of
dispatches and rumorS apparently
intended to state the official Ger
man case" and the sense of these
assiduously circulated stories was
that Britain had landed, or was
about to land, huge forces in Salo-
nika TO support Greece. Despite
Greek denials, these reports per-
sisted
The press Of Turkey, which only
five days ago signed pact of non-
aggression with Bulgaria, openly as
serted that Bulgaria was now about
10 let the Germans march through
to spring at Greece.
Germany is ready to attack
through an acquiescent Bulgaria"
said Istanbuls newspaper Demo-
krat Politika.
Greece Ready to Give Passage.
The Turkish official radio had as
serted last night that large British
forces were held ready in North
Africa to go to Greece's aid. Today,
the Demokrat Politikia supple
mented:
Greece is now ready to give pas
sage to British troops"
The Balkans all watched Yugo-
slavia for an indication as to what
she was going to do. The Turkish
press pointed out that at the mo-
ment the balance between the op-
posing British and German inter-
ests lay with the Yugoslavs.
But, despite frequent emergency
cabinet meetings in Belgrade. there
was not the slightest sign of what
attitude the Yugoslav government
would take-eXcept for the fact that
both the Premier and Foreign Min
lster went to Germany recently at
Hitler's request"
Ihe government of Rumania. in
which there stands a Nazi Balkan
army of 100000 men. continued TO
support the Germans. Rumanian
reservists reported to army camps:
the ministry of national economy
seized the country'S entire rubber
reserves. including all automobile
tries. Provision was made for
stripping tires from automobiles and
trucks in case of need
Many Oppose Transit.
The marked difference between
the German occupation of Rumania
and the present move toward Bull
garla lies in the fact that in Ru-
mania Gen. Ion Antonescu had no
tsee BALKANS, Page AID