Berlin, Mar. 16.
Germany is rapidly consolidating her position in south-east Europe, Nazi sources said here yesterday, hinting that Germany would have "important surprises" for the Allies within the next ten days.
Nazis emphasized that Germany would either prepare a way for action on the West Wall or make such action unnecessary. Action at present centres in Moscow, Rome and Bucharest, but both Nazi and Russian officials here denied they had received any formal guarantee from rumania.
Authoritative sources here said "there is no reason for Germany to take a stand on the Finnish proposal that Sweden and Norway conclude a defensive alliance."
Sr. Mussolini was said to be dis. trustful of Soviet aims in the Balkans, but Nazi circles believed he had accepted Herr von Ribbentrop's assurances as justifying the cultivation of better relations with Moscow. They pointed to reports of Russo-Italian trade negotiations and a diplomatic rapprochement. It was doubtful if Herr von Ribbentrop's assurances took the form of specific pledges from Moscow, however, it was said—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.