The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1941. IN THE BALKANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 37, 13 February 1941, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1941. IN THE BALKANS

QERMANY is moving into the Balkans despite the serious lia bilities attached to such a move.

Having absorbed Hungary, it became necessary to invade Rumania, primarily for the purpose of settling the Transylvanian dispute, but with the more definite object of ensuring supplies of oil and corn from Rumania. This move became more urgent when Russia sent her armies to occupy the province of Bessarabia. Germany could not be sure how far Russian expansion would extend. It has already become inconvenient to Germany in that the Soviets now assert the claim to complete command of the Lower Danube. Germany’s absorption technique has, up to now, been successful, in that possession has been gained of the essential military points in Rumania without open warfare having been occasioned. The rights and wrongs and the causes of recent riotings in Rumania cannot be elucidated from a distance, but they appear to have been an abortive attempt to thwart German occupation. The Iron Guard has played so many parts that it is difficult to discover whether that organisation is pro-Rumanian or pro-German. Whatever may have contributed to the present situation, it is clear that the Germans are in Rumania in sufficient strength to impose their will on it, and that the Rumanians have been either unwilling or unable to offer resistance to this German occupation. The British, however, cannot afford to waste their time delving into the labyrinthine problem of whom was responsible for the present situation : the British must accept the facts of the position as they are. Those facts are: One, that Rumania is now in German occupation; two, that from Rumanian soil Germany is menacing Bulgaria, which country deems herself to be powerless to resist. These facts Britain is not entitled to ignore because she has obligations to Greece. It would be asking too much of Britain and Greece to allow German technicians and “tourists” to occupy Bulgarian aerodromes, and for the Allies to take no steps against the impending danger until the drive through Bulgaria actually begins. It may be too late to do anything which would be effective onee the drive was launched. The preparations now proceeding in Rumania are as much belligerent acts as would be a tiger’s crouch before springing on its victim. The demand for his passports made by the British Consul in Rumania, points to Britain being about to take early action agianst Rumanian aerodromes and oil supplies. The sooner that this action is taken then, the greater the chances of reducing the German effectiveness when winter conditions in the Balkans give way to the spring. The direct line distance between Salonika (which will probably’ be the British base in the Balkan theatre) and Bucharest, tl*e capital of Rumania, is just under three hundred miles, but for British bombers to make the journey they’ would have to fly across Bulgaria, or alternatively to cross the Turkish province of Thrace and up the Black Sea coast, in which ease the flying distance would be about doubled. In the present circumstances it is improbable that Britain would impose such a handicap upon her air force in the Near East as to order them to avoid crossing Bulgarian territory. In short, there is every prospect of Britain ignoring Bulgaria’s neutrality- which is no neutrality’. The reported invasion of Bulgaria by’ German soldiers in civilian uniform, if true, makes it all the more imperative for the Royal Air Force to act, quickly.