Evening star., 1934-10-10

united state or sinks into the chaos
of internal strife primarily concerns
France because OF their mutual obll-
cations of alliance; Italy because OF
its potentialities as an enemy: Ger
many because of its market Tor
German industrial products and us
possibilities as counteroalance 10
Mussolini; Rumania and Czechoslo-
vakia because of the extremely close
affiliatiOn Of all three within the
fabric Of the Little Entente, an organ
ism which has begun to take on the
attributes Of a federal state in itself;
Bulgaria because Of the possibilities OF
recovering the territories taken from
her in the treaty of Neuilly; Greece
and Turkey because OF the mutual
obligations for maintenance of the
status quo in the frontiers of the
Balkans undertaken in the four power
pact of last February 4; Austria be-
cause of her whole hearted resistance
to Italian invasion, even for the
benefcent purpose OF maintaining
Austrias independence.
Here is perhaps one Of the most
complex international political dramas
in the world suddenly thrown into
confusion by the exit of one of its
star performers.
Little Entente Mourns.
The Little Entente will have reason
to mourn for Alexander, for his death
removes one of its prime movers. Alex
ander. as dictator, could make COM
mitments in foreign relations and
could fulfill them to the letter. with
out fear of having to account later
to any legislative authority. Such cir
cumstances are always more conducive
to effective dealings with foreign ma
tions than are those of the more DEM
ocratic system, wherein the acts OF
the executive power are subject TO
approval by the legislative branch.
Yugoslavia's new representative in the
councils of the Little Entente, how
ever, will carry full powers subject
to the restraints of the regency and
the Skupshtina, which in all prob
ability will resume its constitutional
role. Yugoslavia thus ceases to be
the key state in the triumVerate OF
Eastern Europe allies.
France loses in the person of Alex
ander one of her strongest supporters
and advocates in the Balkans. The
recent drift of YugoSlavia toward a
rapprochement with Germany was
not prejudicial, however, to the strong
Francophile feelings OF Alexander.
Without him the movement for closer
relations with Germany is likely to
gain momentum, to the further con-
sternation of the two other members
of the Little Entente, Rumania and
Czechoslovakia. the latter OF which,
especially, lives in eternal fear OF
German encirclement through An
schluss with Austria and understand
ings with Poland and Hungary. Such
an eventuality would find CZechoSlo-
vakia completely surrounded by Ger
man influences. with the exception OF
a few miles of common frontier with
Rumania. ,.,
A moribund Yugoslavia is desirable
for Italy in that it permits freedom
of operation in Austria against Ger
| man designs After the aSSasSlna-
ton of Chancellor DollfuSS in July,
Italian troops were maSSed 10000
strong on the southern side of the
| Alps, poised to march into Austria.
Yugoslavia promptly took counter
steps in warning against such Italian
| plans. and the awaited italian in
vaSion" never occurred. However. 1t
is possible Italian aggression might
call into life one common sentiment
held by Serbs, CroatS and Slovenes
alike, antipathy to Italy, In such
, an event she would face a Southern
/ Slav nation united against her. Her
line of intrigue now may very well be
an undercover campaign to deepen
the chaSm between the component