Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-03-12
YugosIov CopituIotion
To Hitler Is Forecast

BELGRADE. YugOslavia March y
tPl.-YugoslaVia's quick capitulatlon
to German demands that she join
the Rome erlin-Tokio alliance was
forecast today as Adolf Hitler kept
Greece and Turkey guessing by
massing more than 100000 troops on
their northern frontiers.
AS this nations political and mill
tary leaders assembled for a rare
emergency meeting of the Crown
Council. neutral observers said Hit
Ter might have his answer before
nightfall.
Virtually all these sources agreed
Yugoslavia. virtually encircled by
the axis, would choose to sign and
thereby open a new avenue for an
expected Nazi thrust against Greece.
Secrecy was maintained in Yugo-
slav government circles, but an out
side authority declared that Regent
Prince Paul had received Premier
Dragisha Cvetkovich and Foreign
Minister Alexander Cincar- Marko-
vich in a long audience last night.
Turkeys Reply Expected.
Turkey also was expected at any
moment to give her reply TO German
overtures aimed at weaving her
from Great Britain-but there were
indications she might delay Clarity
ing her position pending move by
YugoSlavia.
Advices from Ankara intimated
the Turkish Premier. Reflk SaVdam,
might postpone a scheduled speech
before Parliament today. The
speech had been awaited eagerly as
a possible clue to his governments
position in the swiftly developing
Balkan crisis.
Competent sources said Soviet
Russia had promised Turkey she
need fear nothing from the Red
Army if she elects TO fight at Greece's
side. But official circles remained
silent on this aspect of the situation.
All reports from Bulgaria indi-
Gated the big German Army concen-
trated along the Greek and Turkish
frontiers was ready to go at a mo-
ment'S notice.
showdown belieNPO near.
Observers expressed belief show
down was imminent basing their
conclusion on these facts:
Within the past 48 hours the
steady southwark movement OF
German troops through Bulgaria
which has been under way 10
days-has dwindled suddenly to
a trickle.
German staff officers, who have
been seen everywhere in Sofia,
have disappeared from the cap
ital and headed for field head
quarters at Plovdiv-40 miles
from the Greek frontier and so
miles from Turkey.
Thousands of German and Bull
garian warplanes are lined up on
airdromes all over Bulgaria, ready
for action. Nazi aircraft with
screaming sirens. such as were
used last spring in Western
Europe. make daily test flights
over Sofia.
An ironclad military control
has been clamped upon the area
between the Danube River and
the Greek frontier.
Greece, nevertheless. gave every
indication of her determination to
fight a Nazi invasion.
Kostas Kotzias, Athens Governor,
arrived by plane in Thrace and took
up quarters at Komotine, only 10
miles from the Bulgarian frontier,
as temporary Governor OF Thrace.
He was accompanied by three
cabinet ministers, who Immediately
began an inspection of Greek
frontier defenSeS.
Nazis Prepare In Black Sea.
Axis quarters suggested, however,
Greece might make only a gesture
of resistance. then, having demon
strated the hopelessness of attempt
ing to cope with such a great power
as Germany, ask an armlstice and
replace the present war govern
ment"
Evidence that the Germans were
not certain of Russian, British and
Turkish naval reaction to a breach
of peace in the Balkans was seen by
observers in Nazi preparations for
action in the Black Sea.
Groups of German naval officers
with sea-going equipment have been
seen in Rumanian and Bulgarian
Black Sea ports; a steady stream of
knocked down submarines was re-
ported arriving by overland route at
COnStanta. Rumania,