Fifthly, British sources in Istanbul intimated that Turkey might declare war should Germany invade Bul-gue and Greece. They believed key would fight a defensive war permitting British troops to warships to pass through the Dar-dandles to strike against Rumanian non-aggression agreement tween Turkey and Bulgaria would be void in the event of German troops being permitted to use Bulgaria as a base for aggression against Greece.
Seventhly, the pressure which Germany is putting on the French Government at Vichy to force reinstatement in the government of pro-German M. Pierre Laval.
Eightly, concern in Spain over the possibility of a German move through that country to attack Gibraltar.
Put together, these might indicate a German attack at both the western and eastern ends of the Mediterrancan, which is the only way Germany could wrest complete control of the sea from the British and cripple the Empire's life-line so that Britain itself would be really vulnerable to assault.
"Italy in a Bad Way"
In the Eastern Mediterranean, Italy is obviously in a bad way. The best-informed opinion, both from abroad and in Washington, is that Italy is in danger of being eliminated from the war unless Chancellor Adolf Hitler comes to her rescue.
Unless Italy pulls through, Britain will be in undisputed possession of the eastern Mediterranean and the Suez Canal, with Turkey as a powerful potential ally.
1t Chancellor Hitler struck only m the east and left Gibraltar unmolested, he would be winning less than half of a battle, with the western Mediterranean still in the hands of the British Fleet, including aeroplane [United Press.
(Continued on page 2, col. 1
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.
