Evening star., 1941-04-04
Yugoslov
Continued From First Page)

Monticello Nincic. Foreign Minister,
over efforts to preserve peace and
then went to a conference with
Croat members of the cabinet. DR..
Mack declared yesterday he was
joining the government in the hope
peace could be preserved.
1t was said the declaration of
Yugoslav policy, in response to a
German demand for clariflcation,
probably would be made tomorrow.
Informed circles said any pre-
dlction concerning the nature Of the
expected declaration would be pure
guesswork because the government
itself had not reached a final con-
clusion, but series of new defense
measures prepared the country for
the worst
A communique announced that
Belgrade and the populous northern
centers of zagreb and Ljubljana
! would be proclaimed open and un-
| defended cities" in the event of war
Belgrade. the national capital,
scarcely so miles from the Ru-
manian frontier where German
mechanical units and warplanes
have been reported massing, was
blacked out for the first time last
night in a half-hour emergency air
raid drill.
All-night blackouts were staged
in various communities in the stra-
tegic Vardar Valley, probable route
of trt 49, =
Greece, and instructions were is
sued to residents in all danger spots
| telling them how to behave in q
real air raid.
British circles were silent on
their probable course Of action in
event the Germans invade Yugo-
slavia. but Berlin spokesman
said yesterday Germany was
aware Britain had concentrated
"a considerable number" of
troops in Greece near the Yugo-
slav border)
AZ Germans Leave.
Forty-two members of the Ger
man Legation staff left Belgrade just
before midnight on orders from
Berlin, leaving behind only the
Charge d'Affaires. military attache
and two assistants.
The staff of the Italian Legation
remained ready for hasty departure.
Francesca Giorgio Mameli, the
Italian Minister, paid two short
visits yesterday to Foreign Minister
| Nincic. but there was no indica-
ton that these talks or previous
conversations Mameli held with gov
ernment leaders had had any effect
in shaping Yugoslav policy.
The newspaper Vreme printed dis
patches saying Italy's chief interest
in preserving peace with Yugoslavia
was due to the fact that a large
percentage Of her military and civil
upplies-particular oil from Ru-
mania-flow through this country.
| The government was strengthened
in the face Of the mounting crisis
by decision yesterday of DR.. Mack.
Croat party leader. to accept the
post of vice premier In the new
cabinet.
His newspaper called upon the
government to make every attempt
humanity possible to save peace"
The communique announcing that
Belgrade, zagreb and Ljubljana
would be proclaimed open cities said
that "all interested belligerents"
would be informed of the decision
in the usual way "if the efforts of
the royal government for peace fail
and q state of war occurs"
German circles have predicted that
Nazi troops could occupy Belgrade, a
city Of 270,000. within 43 hours after
crossing the frontier. !
Zagreb, q city Of 1855 900, and the
capital of old Croatia, is about 50
miles from German troop consentra-
tions on the Hungarian frontier.
Ljubljana, chief city Of old Slovenia
with a population Of about $4,000, is
barely 20 miles from the Italian
frontier and approximately 80 from
the German border. q
The brief blackout in Belgrade last
night was made complete by the
throwing of master switches which
extinguished every light in the city,
paralyzed traffic and even cut OF
telephone service.
Nozis Soy YugosIovs
Have Desions on Austria