EAST EUROPEAN FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 8

EAST EUROPEAN FRONT

The enmity oi Rumania and Hungary weakens both to Germany's advantage, writes Miss Elizabeth Wiskemann in the Scotsman. Not only hereditary hatred and minority problems play into Germany's hands: her aims are' also, furthered by social conditions in Hungary the still relatively feudal distribution of land constantly stimulates discontent: in Rumania the rapid accumulation of wealth by a few foreign oil companies and mainly Jewish heavy industry concerns, while the peasant mass of the population remains overwhelmingly poor naturally breeds indignation Hungarian-Ru-manian Hostility serves Germany's purpose by weakening Poland's position Poland is the ally of Rumania and the traditional friend of Hungary but both alliance and friendship are obviously Impaired bv Rumania's suspicion that Poland is over-indulgent toward Hungary and vice- versa A Polish-Hungarian-Rumanian block with Baltic and Balkan support might have constituted a barrier of some solidity across the path of German imperialism With the fall of Memel and Albania to the Axis Powers, the wings are weakened, while the central triangle is unable to solidify.