KEY TO BALKANS

Evening Star, Issue 22526, 19 December 1936, Page 13

KEY TO BALKANS

A WEB OF INTRIGUE In the first few mouths of the World War one of the chief centres of diplomatic and royal intrigue was Bucharest, capital of .Rumania, writes Eugene Young, in the ‘ San Francisco Chronicle.’ That country was a strategic key to the campaign of the Central Powers against Russia. Had it yielded to tho blandishments of Germany directed chiefly at its Hohenzollern king, a cousin of tho Kaiser, the results of the great conflict might have been different. Over its territory Austrian armies might have been sent to turn the flank of the Russians—with the aid of the Rumanian army—and the advance of the Tsars into East Prussia, which compelled the withdrawal of two army corps from France at a critical time, might not have !< been attempted. Serbia- might have been overrun quickly, and Italy might not have joined the Allies with added danger confronting it from the east. The German King wanted to join the Central Powers, but Queen Marie, of Russiau-English blood, led the Court faction which brought the country over to the Allies and helped to save a serious situation. Similar intrigues have been going on for the last few months in the now much larger and much more important country. This time tho King is inclined to be unfavourable to Germany. He has been swayed by his favourite, Mine Magda Lupescu, who. as a Jew, is inimical to tho Nazis, who are persecuting her people. A powerful Court camarilla supports her. Another strong anti-German leader is Nicholas Titulescu, who was recently overthrown as Foreign Minister. He was opposed to Mine Lupescu and wished to see tho King break with her, but his policy was directed towards close co-operation with France, and when the latter country entered into an entente with Russia he_ became favourable to close relations with Moscow. He was regarded as the chief obstacle to the progress of the German campaign, and his disappearance from office is at least a temporary victory for Berlin. These two elements have _ been bitterly fought by an organisation known as the Iron Guard, which is_ sympathetic to tho Fascists and Nazis and is supposed to be supported by German money. It has had the support of the faction represented by George Tatarescue, who was the Premier when Titulescu was compelled to retire. ' The Iron Guard has been conducting a fierce and terrorist campaign against the friends of France and Russia, in which there have been many murders. Insistence on the determined suppression of this body led to the fall of Titulescu, despite the support of his position from Mme Lupescu and close friends of the King. FRENCH BROUGHT CRISIS. The crisis at Bucharest was brought about by a French move to complete a strategic railroad through Rumania to link up with the railroads of Czechoslovakia, thus furnishing a highway for Soviet troops to attack Germany in case of war. The arrangement for the strategic line was made by Titulescu after Germany, by the reoccupation of the Rhineland, had put ah obstacle across tho path of a French march to tho aid of Czechoslovakia. To make a Russian drive safe it was necessary to enlist the aid of Poland, So that the advancing army should not bo attacked from the north. So France made proposals for a renewal of the old alliance with Poland and has given a pledge that the- Soviets shall not invade that country and shall respect its independence if war with Germany should come. Berlin has reported that the Warsaw Government has accepted this plan, but there are doubts whether that is so. There is no doubt, however, that Poland is turning back to Franco and would like to reach an agreement which would relieve it of the danger of being the battleground between Germany and Russia. A French military mission has recently visited Warsaw and has had talks with the army authorities there on campaign plans; and General Edward Rydz-Sraigly, the present dictator, has paid a State visit to Paris to make further arrangements. At the least an old personal feud with French military leaders has been fixed up. Berlin has been plainly showing its alarm over the development of the Franco-Russian policy. The hasty talks with Italy, Austria, and Hungary, and the increase in the Reich’s army were duo to the fear of Russian penetration of Central Europe. The upset of Titulescu was the first consequence of this state of feeling, for the Iron Guard increased its terrorism as the French mission appeared in Warsaw and so forced the crisis in that capital. The Reich has also set out to break down tho Franco-Russian entente, trying to woo France into a commercial agreement that would be the prelude to a political reconsiliation. Such a plan has the support of the British, who are anxious to bring about a limitation of armaments in the West. They also are worried by Russia. They realise how effectively the Moscow regime is using the gold—more than £100,000,OCX) a year—that it is taking from its mines. What France will do in response to German approaches remains to be seen. Its Government faces a grave decision. Shall it cling to tho old scheme of forging an “ iron ring ” about Germany by sticking to Russia and the Little Entente and trying to get tho full support of Poland? ■ Or shall it fall in with Britain’s ideas and so gain the support of that country for its future security. What Rumania may do in this critical situation may be decided by Mine. Lupescu. Sho lias shown many times in recent months that she has an influence over the King that cannot be broken. The Peasant Party, the strongest in the country, has threatened revolt and the deposition of King Carol unless he broke with her. The Iron Guard is determined to put her out. But she has been able to hold on. She is definitelv opposed to a German entente, hut also holds strong feelings against the French Party, which has opposed her. How she feels towards Russia is a question, but there have been indications that she was favourably disposed to that country.