The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-25

 thrust at Salonika.
 Britain Warns Jugoslavs
 Great Britain has warned Jugo- slavia that 1t intends to attack the Germans wherever they may be and that the warning applies ito any Jugoslav compromise with Ger many, however modified" 1t was said authoritatively today.
 The warning was sent to Belgrade after reports that Jugoslavia, in ad- herring to the Japanese Italian alliance, would permit Ger many totransport war materials through its territory for an attack on Greece.
 Hope persists that Jugoslavia will not sign the usual three-power pact" an authoritative statement said.
 Reports from Jugoslavia indicate that the Germans will have a more difficult time reconciling the Jugo- slav people than they did in the case of Rumania and Bulgaria"
 It was said that the British gov- ernment Hacked confirmation of Belgrade reports" that Russia was sending military aid to Turkey.
 (This might be hint that such aid was possible, rather than con- fession of a lack of information)
 Britain gave It's warning to Jugo- slavia as Balkan dispatches re- ported that German trops had been owing southward along the Struma valley in Bulgaria in apparent preparation for an immediate drive toward Salonika.
 Turkey Seems To Be In
 Whether with Russia's tacit backing-Turkey will actively enter hostilities still is underlined but 1t seemed certain that Turkish objec- tions, If any, to establishment of Royal Air Force bases and possibly Royal Navy bases on Turkish soil have bene dissipated.
 Tn Turkey 1t was felt that the Soviet statement had drawn Q line plain for Germany to see-the tra- ditional line of the Dardanelles be- yond which any German advance no longer would be met with the by- stander's attitude which Russia has adopted since her pact with Adolf Hitler in August, 1939, lifted the curtain on hte European war.
 Of importance hardly secondary to the Balkan developments were the events in Africa.
 Here two events, unconnected by hte official communiques but ob- viously intimately related, cast hint of Germany's plans.
 Rome annuonced that Graziani, the lion of Africa, the tested colonial commander whose Fascist legions had melted away under the on- slugaht of Wavell's attacks, had re- signed his post.
 Thus Graziani joined the com pany of Marshal Pietro Badoglio, Gen. Ubaldo Soddu, and the other great Italian military names which have fallen since Benito Mussolini entered the war last June.
 Into Graziani'S place went rela- lively unknown commander, Gen. Italo Gariboldl, and from Berlin and London came news indicating that Adolf Hitler, steadily widening his hillary receivership of Italy, had taken over in Africa too.
 Berlin announced that the Nazi African Legion had recaptured El Agheila, coastal point l50 miles south and west of Benghazi, which marked the high tide of the British sweep through the western desert. It is in this area that frequent clashes between light patrols of German and British armored cars have been increasingly reported In recent days.
 Germans Are Sure Threat
 London, while not confirming the Nazi success, admitted that German concentrations in Tripolitania have now grown 50 strong that they no longer can be ignored by the Brit ish.
 Since Wavell generally Is believed to have stripped the western desert of all but Q small protective force in order to send an expeditionary force to Greece, these German con- cent rations may prove difficult for the British to deal with.
 Weather May Stop Fight
 However, one saving factor is the weather. Within Q month or so, the great heat will descend upon North Africa in all It's shimmering force and the time for major cam paigns probably will be over until the cool of next fall.
 Another possibility which the British cannot overlook Is the chance that sudden Nazi blow will be struck at the western gate- way to the Mediterranean
 Even If Hitler should be unable to win permission to march across Spain for an attack upon Gibraltar, the narrow straits could be closed by the batteries of big guns which German engineers have mounted on either side of the channel.
 Such action would intensity Brit aims difficulties in maintaining her tenuous line of communications and supplies to the big armies she has built up in the eastern Medi- terranean. And Hitler doubtless will take advantage of Matsuoka's visit to jangle to the utmost the alarm bells of threats in the Far East.
 Actual military action today was restricted.
 There were no German raids on Britain of any consequence and the RAF was equally quiet. The Lon- don admiralty reported shipping losses for the week ended March l6 at 7l,773 tons, only a few thousand tons over the war-long average. NUHN ESTATE