Evening star., 1941-03-29
Won't Stand Insults,
Nazis Warn, Awaiting
YugosIavia S Answer
Berlin Desires to Know
Link Of Belgrade Policy
With Anti-Germunism
BY LOUIS p. LOCHNER,
Associtpd Press War Correspondent


BERLIN, March 29.-Germany
will neither be provoked by paid
agents of Britain in Yugoslavia
nor stand for being insulted," au-
thoriZed sources here declared today
as Germany waited for King Peters
government to decide whether it is
in or out of the axis.
We will not let a street mob
determine our policies" these
sources added. Germany, now as
before, watches events in Yugoslavia
with extraordinary interest, but has
time and leisure to form an opinion
of the situation after careful study"
Authorized sources did not hesi-
tate to say that an "anti-German
tendency among the Serbs, subject
to Chauvinistic influences, is on the
increase"
What German authorities desired
to know. however, was whether
these manifestations were con-
trolled" or independent of any gov
ernment policies.
DNB, Official news agency. said in
dispatch from Belgrade that unrest
prevailed there despite armored cars
stationed at street intersections.
Protest on Protection.
The agency said fisticuffs resulted
when one group shouted threaten
ingly at German Minister Viktor
Won Heeren and another applauded
him. The Germans were said to
have protested at what they called
the inadequate protection given the
Minister.
However. it was reported here,
that the Yugoslav government had
apologized for insults to the Min
lister in connection with his appear
ance at the Belgrade Cathedral when
King Peter formally took over the
royal power.
Authorized quarters declared the
Minister had been received by a
crowd outside the cathedral with
insulting calls and whistles"
If the anti-German manifesta-
tons in Yugoslavia are merely re-
sulting from the general political
confusion in the kingdom. and if
the government shows by deeds,
not words" that full support of the
axis pact continues. Germany might
prove to be big hearted" it was
intimated
Internal Division Stressed.
Radio broa dcaStS, meanwhile. con-
tinued to emphasize that large sec
tions of the Croat population of
Yugoslavia were not in accord with
new tendencies of the government.
The final attitude of Vladimir
Machek. the Croat leader. appar
emily was regarded by the German
foreign Office as the key to the Situ-
alton.
Germans pointed out that al
though there had been anti-NaZi
demonstrations at Belgrade, where
the new Yugoslav government was
said to be still trying TO decide
whether it was in or out of the
three-power pact, the Croat capital
at Zagreb apparently had not
thrown its heart into Thursdays
political explosion.
That explosion, in which new
government took power, was de-
scribed in Berlin as a Serb mill
tary coup.
dispatches from Belgrade said
the new government of Premier
Gen. Dusan Simovich under
young King Peter II would nei-
ther ratify nor renounce the pact
of axis alliance the old govern
ment signed at Vienna Tuesday
but would observe policy of
strict neutrality.
The Yugoslav government was
reported solidifying its position
in anticipation of Nazi efforts TO
split the country from within
rather than resort Immediately
to arms to enforce the pactD
Compared to Czecho- -SIovakia.
In view of long standing differences
between Croats and Serbs, political
observers here were waiting for
evidences that considerable internal
heat might have been responsible
for the upheaval.
comparisons 10 conditions pre-
ceding the collapse of the Czecho-
Slovak republic we're being made
on all sides. Czecho-S -Slovakia was
cited as an example of state
| divided against itself and thus
unable to produce united front.
Whether Yugoslavia is in a SIM
liar situation was a question politi-
cal observers said the next few days
| might determine
The attitude of political quarters
here was that if Croats and
Slovenes fail to support Belgrade S
anti-German gestures the whole
anti-pact demonstrations started so
spectacularly may not be repre-
sentative of the kingdom after all.
That was what a German spokes-
man meant when he said comments
on the Yugoslav situation by British
Prime Minister Churchill and United
States Undersecretary of State Sum-
ner Welles might have been pre-
! t.,~