RUMANIA AND FRANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22469, 13 July 1936, Page 8

RUMANIA AND FRANCE

The report that M. Titulescu, Rumanian Foreign Minister, has resigned points to the way in which the domestic affairs of one country can affect those of another. M. Titulescu is supposed to be at odds with his Government because its domestic policy is not in accord with the course he, as Foreign Minister, has strongly advocated. The Rumanian Government, in his opinion, is showing too much favour to the Nazis and their anti-French views. This is a reference to the Rumanian version of the movement, the Iron Guard, which is strongly antiSemitic, and naturally out of sympathy with recent French developments. M. Titulescu has been the most active advocate of a foreign policy involving close co-operation with France, and, therefore, necessarily some association with Russia, because of the Franco-Soviet pact. But, according to recent observation, the French election, with the victory for the Left, and especially the gain of strength by the Communists, has reawakened Rumanian suspicion of Russia. Russian influence is credited with much of the success the Left gained in France, and has led to the Russian Government being once again definitely associated in general opinion with the Third International. In fact, the more extreme version of this view is a prediction that both France and Spain will become fully Communist countries, with Russia as their patron and guiding spirit. It is easy to understand that the Government, infected by such feelings, may have been showing increased favour to the Nazi movement, as a natural opponent of everything for which Russia stands, and for which it is believed France may soon stand. But a move in that direction is absolutely contrary to the foreign policy shaped by M. Titulescu, involving the closest possible relations with France. It is easy to imagine him falling out hopelessly with the Government on the issue.