The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1939. SHADOW OVER RUMANIA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 150, 21 March 1939, Page 8

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1939. SHADOW OVER RUMANIA

No time appears to have been lost by Germany in exploring the further possibilities of her bloodless Eastern European campaign. Already it is reported that the German Economic Mission to Bucharest has proposed that in return for a “guarantee of territorial integrity and independence” Rumania should gradually close down her factories, devote herself to agriculture and export all her grain, oil, timber and cattle to Germany. If the report be correct—and it comes on the sober authority of “The Times”-it means that Germany is putting the strongest pressure on the Rumanian Government o close, almost vassal-like economic co-operation with the Reich. io describe the proposal as an “ultimatum” leaves room for the German denials since made, but a strong suspicion remains of an economic threat, and a very thinly-disguised one. It is not surprising that the German proposal has been i ejected in Bucharest. In the first place, the Rumanian Government must be painfully aware of the worthlessness of Germany’s territorial guarantees: indeed, to any but the Teutonic mind there is something gi im y humorous about the making of such an offer immediately after t re betrayal and dismemberment of Czechoslovakia. In the second place, the idea that Rumania should abandon her manufacturing industries and become a granary, larder, and source of timber and raw materials for the Reich is one that would be preposterous to any free, unmtimidated nation. So close and complete a co-operation as that would amount to utter dependence. It would mean that to all intents an purposes Rumania would become a German protectorate, industrially disarmed and economically fettered. It would mean that Germany s. sphere of direct influence and frontier of economic power would have reached the Black Sea. , ~ , Though her territory was nearly doubled as the result ot the Great War the area of Rumania today is only 123,000 square miles. Her lands, however, are among the richest in Europe, supporting a population of 19,500,000 people, with a generous production surplus. She is a natural European granary, the fertile plains of Transylvania and the remaining lowlands carrying heavy crops of wheat, rye, maize, barley and oats. Her fruits and vineyards are famous, she has close on 18,000,000 acres of timber forest and a thriving cattle industry, and her mineral wealth is considerable. Last, but by no means least, she has immensely valuable oil resources. Her crude oil production, 'which was less than 2,000,000 tons in 1913, was 7,000,000 tons in 1937. A rich prize indeed, particularly attractive to a Germany highly industrialized but lacking raw materials of all kinds, notably oil, as well as an ample reserve of basic foodstuffs. In her diplomacy Rumania of late has pursued a steadier com se, and in spite, of the abandonment of Czechoslovakia by. the ■ Western Powers in September last, she has held to her democratic friendships. King Carol has gradually asserted himself against all rival influences and has established a political regime best described as a mild Royal dictatorship. His friendship with Britain was strengthened by. his visit to England in November last when the cordiality of the relations between the two nations was given special emphasis. Later King Carol visited Herr Hitler, but it is significant that, almost immediately on his return from Germany to Rumania he instituted a fresh drive against the Nazi-inspired Rumanian “Iron Guard,” whose most fanatical leader, Corneliu Codreanu, Rumania s so-called Little Hitler,” was executed with thirteen of his companions. Since that time the Black Guards have been rigorously dealt with and Nazism in Rumania has been discouraged with a heavy hand. On the occasion of King Carol’s London visit the problem or Rumania’s future trade relations with .her neighbouring States was discussed by The Times, which pointed out that in view of the spread of German influence in Eastern Europe important decisions would have to be made by the rulers of the smaller Powers. An increase of German trade in the basin, of the Danube—which begins in Baden and ends in Rumania —is natural and. desirable, and should ultimately profit international trade as a whole (the article stated). But all those nations naturally desire to maintain perfect freedom of action economically and politically and not to become a close preserve for any one country.

This was written on'November 15. Today Germany appears to be thinking of Rumania as a “close preserve,” and lias strengthened her power to attempt such an economic conquest by engulfing Bohemia arid Moravia and bringing her mailed fist as far as the Rumanian border. Just as Czechoslovakia in September looked to her big-brother democracies for aid, so King Carol in his turn may be obliged to choose between a one-sided agreement with Herr Hitler or reliance upon Great Britain for support in maintaining his national independence. Germany claims 800,000 nationals in Rumania, but this time there is no Sudeten question—no room for territorial propaganda or quibblings over the crusading rights of Germany as a “liberator.” An attempt to enforce demands upon Rumania would be an unequivocal act of aggression, in the face of which the nontotalitarian Powers would be obliged to choose between facing up to Germany’s challenge, or submitting to her European supremacy.