ONE MORE REPUBLIC.

Evening Star, Issue 25893, 10 September 1946, Page 6

ONE MORE REPUBLIC.

Overwhelmingly ! the Bulgars have voted against their King, and a country that has to all intents and purposes been a republic since the mysterious death of King Boris will become a republic in fact. However the plebiscite may have been conducted, however great Russian pressure may have beep, the vote is conclusive — much more so than in the case of the King of Greece—since 90 per cent, of the electorate voted, and of that percentage 91 per cent, decided for the republic, Even leaving out Russian influence, any other result would have been surprising, for the Bulgarian political parties have all been opposed to the monarchy, while to the people the last representative of the House of Coburg is virtually unknown. Since, a boy of little more than five, Simeon became nominal King after his father’s death, he has rarely been seen and his name has never been mentioned in the Bulgarian Press, The boy King has lived completely cut off from the world in a small country house outside Sofia with his mother, Queen loanna, while his royal functions have been attended to by a regency ofthree. It was accepted as indicative of public opinion in the capital when, about six months ago, the Bulgarian Government decided to continue Sofia’s main street right through the palace grounds, demolishing the wrought-iron gates and a guardhouse in the process, work that was carried out eagerly and rapidly by young volunteers of labour brigades. So another Balkan State becomes a republic, leaving only Rumania and Greece as monarchies, and in the former the King has little say, The significant aspect is that all these new Balkan republics are Russian-domi-nated, with regimes essentially Communist. The extension of Russian hegemony is apparent, and the Soviet attitude towards Greece and the recent plebiscite there which favoured the King is understandable, for Greece stands out as a rampart against further expansion in an area where Russia is attempting to exert a largo measure of control over the Eastern Mediterranean. The Russian charges against Greece and accusations that Britain is encouraging conditions that are tantamount to a reign of terror are made less because of Russia’s belief in them than as an attempt to divert attention from her own policy, which would lead to eventual donjination of Greece and the bringing of the entire Balkans theatre within lier orbit, The former American Under-Secretary of State, Mr Sumner Welled, clearly sees where the situation may lead, with a crisis between the Russians and the Western Powers inevitable. A definite crisis • between the Powers has threatened on more than one occasion, but has been averted more by unsatisfactory compromise than by good statesmanship, and this has merely postponed the evil _ hour. Concerning Greece the Russians are attempting to make every post a winning post by raising the issue in the various international councils. So far she has been countered, but all the cards have not yet been laid on the table. , It may be assumed that the result of the Bulgarian plebiscite will become powerful propaganda, in which the result of the Greek plebiscite will be played up to the disadvantage and the disparagement of Britain and Greece. It is by no means easy to forecast the trend of events in this turbulent corner of the globe, but Britain, although her role in Greece has really ended, can hardly leave her Balkan ally to stand alone 1 against Russian pressure closing in relentlessly from the north and east.;