Maintenance Of Buffer States

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 5

Maintenance Of Buffer States

The Observer adds: "It is clear also that the crisis has been caused by new Russian demands, accompanied, it seems, by severe pressure upon the Hungarian Government and parties. The whole development so far is ominously reminiscent of the 'cold revolution' in Rumania last March, when the all-party Government of M. Radescu was overthrown and the Groza dictatorship imposed by the use of force on the part of the Rumanian Communists." This is seen here as part of Russia's conception of security by the maintenance of buffer States and Governments, backed up by a policy described by the diplomatic correspondent of the Glasgow Herald as "Be my brother or I'll knock your block off." Difficulties In Germany While Hungary is the latest instance of disagreement between the Western Allies and Russia, unfortunately one can read almost daily of other difficulties between them in other quarters. Take Germany and its four occupation zones. Sir St. Vincent Troubridge, who has served on General Eisenhower's Military Government staff, says an iron curtain of silence has descended, cutting off the Russian zone from the Western Allies. He adds: "Everything east of a line running north and south,

approximately through Lubeck and Brunswick and coming within 150 miles of the Rhine, is now as remote as, and mui:h less accessible, than Tibet" and "Unjustified suspicion and secrecy run mad are doing much to endanger the truly Allied nature of the occupation." In Austria, reports the Daily Mail's correspondent, the situation is so tragic that it borders on the comic. Instances are given of the British and Americans attempting to assist Austrians in the Russian zone and of the Russians refusing pointblank. One of the many results of the Russian refusal to assist in establishing order from chaos is that Austria is now faced with certain inflation. Coincident with reports from Bulgaria that the Opposition have declared their intention to boycott the election, comes a report that Russian troops there are taking up tactical positions in the south within a short distance of the border of Bulgaria and Turkey, and that there is evidence of quantities of heavy armament and some troops being brought into Bulgaria through Western Rumania. From Poland comes news that Russian troops have been "invited" by the Warsaw Government to help to suppress bandits and outlaws throughout Poland. The position in Japan as between the Americans and the Russians was commented on last week by a New Zealand journalist, Lachlan Mac Donald, when he likened the former Allies to men squaring up for a bout of fisticuffs.