IMPORTANT PLUNDER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 302, 28 September 1940, Page 6

IMPORTANT PLUNDER.

THE NAZIS IN HUNGARY.

LONDON, September 26

Economic expei'ts in London who have now had time to subject to closer scrutiny the Vienna dictat, by which Rumania lost 52,700 square kilometres to Hungary, find its economic implications no less interesting than its political ones. By this transfer, effected under Axis threats, there comes within the control of Hungary, which in turn is even more under Axis influence than the new Rumanian regime, territory yielding important supplies and commodities in which Germany and Italy are deficient. Twelve ceded provinces carry with, them 15 per cent, of the output of meat of former Rumania, 7 per cent of maize, 4 per cent, of oats, 20 per cent, of barley, > 9 per cent, of horses, 19 per cent, of cows, 12 per cent of sheep, and 13 per cent, of pigs, together with 70,000 tons of malt a year, and certain amounts of gold, silver, lead and zinc. At the same time a quarter of ’the total forest land of Rumania has been handed to Hungary. The Axis Powers therefore succeeded in bringing to their grasp much valuable plunder, while at the same time leaving in fine confusion unsettled racial and other problems which are sure to cause renewed trouble, in which Germany can interfere to her advantage when it suits Nazi policy. Under the Vienna dictat, Rumania last 2,883,000 of her former population, but tills includes only 1,000,000 Hungarians, compared with 1,206,000 Rumanians now transferred to Hungary. The remainder are made up of various races, including 60,000 Germans, who will doubtless be used to cause trouble in Hungary if that country shows independence of spirit. To add to the complications, 490,000 Hungarians are still left within the new Rumanian frontier.