Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1927 ITALY AND THE BALKANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 June 1927, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1927 ITALY AND THE BALKANS

THE difference between Albania and Jugo-Slavia, which has culminated in the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries, is merely'a symptom of the general unrest in life Balkan Peninsula. Hungary finds an ever-existing grievance in the fact that Rumania and Jugo-Slavia possess rich tracts of territory which were Hungarian' prior to the Great War. Monte negro, which was annexed by Serbia in 1918, and has been incorporated with Jugo-Slavia, clamours for union with Herzgovina and independence. Bulgaria distrusts all her neighbours—Rumania, Jugoslavia, and Greece—and looks to Italy for protection rather than to the League of Nations. Jugo-Slavia has nursed her enmity against Italy, ever since d'Annunzio in 191.9 seized Fiurne. Greece feels sore because Italy continues in occupation of the Dodecanese Isles, to which she has no legal or recognised light. To complicate the situation further, there are rumours of a contemplated union between Jugo-Slavia and Bulgaria to offset a rumoured union between Rumania and Hungary. These are some of the 'porploxing features which tend to keep the Balkan nations In a constant ferment of apprehension, distrust, and fear.

Such a condition of affairs is just, what suits the policy of Italy, which is evidently f< % supplant France in the domination of the Balkan nations. To that end we find Italy making friends in the- Balkans wherever possible With Rumania she concludes a treaty of friendship, and ratifies Rumania's possession of Bessarabia. With Hungary she concludes a similar treaty, welcomes Premier Bethlen to Rome, and offers to givo Hungary the port of Fiumo. Towards Bulgaria she shows almost as much consideration as she shows to Hungary and Rumania. To Albania she lends largo sums of money, and signs with that country what amounts to a protectorate over the little republic. Shin is credited with fostering Montenegro's desire for independence. In fact, she has gradually so arranged matters that Jugo-Slavia finds herself surrounded by Italy's friends. Today, there is no doubt that the Balkan nations look to Italy rather than to France as the arbiter of their fate. In the re-shuffling of Europe's political cards, which, has taken place since Signor Mussolini seized the reins of power in Italy, there is no doubt that many of the trumps have njwwwl lnto, * ,no hand of the creator of Fascism, and among those trump-cards one of the chief is the domination of the Balkans. To-day, if any of the Balkan nations desires 'to make some important move which may affect, her neighbours, either detrimentally or otherwise, sho casts her eyes towards Rome rather than towards Paris for approval. The question is, Why 'does Signor Mussolini interest himself so closely in the Balkan peoples and their endless problems and interminable differences? If it is, as students of Balkan affairs confidently assert, that this Italian Dictator desires to dominate the nations of the .Balkan Peninsula, then another question naturally arises. To' what end does Signor Mussolini desire to dominate the Balkans? He cannot find there the open spaces which he requires for the migration of Italy's surplus population. It seems, therefore, that the Italian Dic j tator's domination of the Balkans is part of his policy for reducing the Eastern Mediterranean to the status of an Italian lake, and possibly that it is in ihe East-that he looks for that exten. sion of Italian territorial interests which shall allow the ever-growing Italian nation to expand without its migrants losing their nationality. Such expansion in an Easterly direction could only take place if the Balkan nations were unable or unwilling to interfere with Italy's policy. The. friction between Jugo-Slavia and Albania results from Jugo-Slavia'a jealousy of Italy's growing power in the peninsula. Of all the Balkan Governments that of Jugo-Slavia alone opposes Italy's hegemony. But with Jugo-Slavia encircled, Signor Mussolini would appear to be free to pursue liis ambitions in the Eastern Mediterranean.