NETWORK OF PACTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22032, 12 February 1935, Page 12

NETWORK OF PACTS

EUROPEAN AGREEMENTS

ENTENTE IN THE BALKANS TURKS AND THE GREEKS. THE SEARCH FOR SECURITY The following article, by Mr. A«bw L Williams, the »peeial European cor respondent of the New Zealand HeHald, was written in London on Januaiy 18. He deals with the habit of pact* which has prevailed in Europe durtnK the last few years, and exam ines in his ueual interesting the object, and trend of some of these international agreements. Blood has prevailed over all other considerations. The Saar result is Herr Hitler's greatest achievement m the foreign domain. His speech following the announcement of the plebiscite figures, with one phrase excepted, was worthy of a statesman. "Germany, he said, "has no further territorial question to raise with France." Does that, one wonders, forecast the end of discord, or will the flattering vote tempt the Fuhrer to proceed on the lines of foreign adventure laid down m his book, "My Struggle"? It is not a German trait to show moderation in triumph. Witness the treaties of BrestLitovsk and Bucharest. Italo-French negotiations went much in the manner anticipated. The rapprochment was effected by mutual concessions in the African sphere, and it was agreed to consult together on the matter of Austria's independence, should that be threatened, a direct hint to Germany not to ctoss her southern border. The balance of the programme —the Central and South-eastern European proposals —has not yet achieved actuality. As agr§ements they are in a nebulous condition. Over a Hundred Pacts

We know that one, at least, new pact—the Italo-French Treaty—has been arrived at. Of the making of many pacts there is no end, nor do statesmen appear to become weary of them. "Pactomania" —if a word may be coined —has become a disease, a sport—what you will —in Europe during the past decade. When 1934 closed 115 European political pacts, exclusive of trade agreements, had been negotiated by European diplomats since 1925. So an industrious German has calculated. France was signatory of a score of pacts, while Germany, Italy, Poland, Yugoslavia, Rumania and Turkey have ten pacts apiece to their credit. Though security is the aim of these pacts, and Europe is involved in a network of them, the very numbers seem to emphasise the insecurity of international peace. The millennium is still beyond the horizon.

One of the most interesting, and not the least significant of the pacts'was that inaugurating a Balkan Entente, signed at Athens on February 6 last year by representatives of Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia and Rumania. It garia has declined to adhere, and Albania also is an absentee, but even lacking those two countries the pact is of importance. Its nominal aim is economic, the furtherance of mutual trade interests, and the improvement of communications, but at a conference held at Angora last autumn M. Titulesru, Rumanian Foreign Minister, gave the pact its more likely significance when he said, "This Entente is a big association of States aiming at the maintenance of peace by the setting up of an imposing collective force." Desire lor Independence The Balkan countries, in 'effect, are endeavouring to free themselves from foreign influence. They refuse longer to be the catspaws of other nations; they have no desire that any untoward incident occurring in the peninsula should again be seized upon as a pretext for launching a world or localised war.

"Individually the combining States are worthy of attention even in the present super-interesting phase of the world's development. What amazing things are happening in Turkey! No presont-day dictator sweeps his people along new paths with quite the same breatblessness as the Ghazi, Mustapha Kemal Pasha, or Ataturk, as he now signs himself in Latin script, in accord with his decree ordering each Turk to find a surname. Turkey comes West with a vengeance. Oriental music, script, headgear must be discarded. Turkey, the plaything of the Sultans, has thrown overboard her State religion, and her antiquated laws, has adopted the latest western codes, and proclaimed a republic. New Zealander9 have cause to remember Ataturk. On August 8, 1915, he rushed up Turkish reinforcements to meet the British attack at Suvla Bay. He has since then shown himself an outstanding military commander by expelling the Greeks from Asia Minor following his triumph at Sakaria. Now the lion and the lamb are combining, outside the Balkan pact, for their mutual defence. A Turco-Gre-cian military alliance is in preparation and seems likely soon to become a fact. Task of a Prince Regent

Guided by Priuce Paul as ChiefRegent, Yugoslavia has achieved some appeasement internally. The manner in which the members of the Skupshtina (Parliament) are rushing in to announce adherence to M. Yevtiteh, the new Prime Minister, spells the doom of the lately dominant Serb majority. Free elections may not come just yet. but they are in the offing. A correspondent in Belgrade writes me that, despite the alliance with France, the French are not popular in Belgrade. Yugoslavs are

strongly impressed by Germany's re- j covery. Not the least of Prince Paul's j tasks will be the countering of German j influence. Turkey and Yugoslavia are military j nations. They have proved their valour ; on many a field. Greece and Rumania are the weaker members of the combination. The latter, indeed, is more of a liability than an asset to the groups —the Little Entente and the Balkan Entente —to which she belongs. Corrupt, even for a Balkan State, Rumania appears to be inherently unstable, yet her co-operation is sought by neighbours in Central and South-Eastern Europe, so we must assume that they value her friendship, and, perhaps, fear her enmity. Divergent Interests When examined closely the Balkan Entente does not greatly impress. Economically the contracting -States produce much the same things, so interchange can be negligible. The interests of the four nations are diverse. Buniania, and Yugoslavia, members of the Little Entente, are more concerned with Central Europe than with the Balkans. Turkey and Greece, on the other hand, are essentially Mediterranean and Balkan Powers. Turkey is a friend of Russia; Rumania and Yugoslavia abominate the Soviets. Turkey's flirtation with France has prompted the assumption that the Balkan and Little Ententes will be fused. In view of the divergence of interests, such fusion appears little likely in the near future.