Evening star., 1939-09-22
Small Nations Fear
Trouble at Sign Of
Rumanian Weakness
Turkey and YugosIuvio
Express Disney at News
Of Premier's Staying
ev the Associated Press.

Of PREMIER S oloyIn9
BY the Associated Press.
BUDAPEST, Sept. 22.-The as
sassination of Rumania's premier,
Armand Calinescu. by pro-Nazi ex-
tremists, threatened today to push
all of Southeastern Europe off
delicate balance between peace and
chaos.
Dismay and CONSERVATION were
the immediate reaction in the capi-
tails of Turkey, Greece and Yugo-
slavia, where Premier Calinescu was
regarded as strong friend.
The first comment in Bulgarian
and Hungarian political circles was
"Rumania depended more on Cali
nescu than on any other man ex-
cept King Carol"
All the Balkans knew Premier
Calinescu was waging a grim game
of diplomacy to save his country'S
frontiers from possible "undeclared
invasion" as his Polish allies fell
under the twin onslaught of Russia
and Germany. Neutrality was Pre-
mler CdllneSCu pest cara.
Trumped With Bullets.
Today the question was whether
the Iron Guard, an organization
with long acknowledged Nazi lean
ings, had trumped it with bullets.
Diplomats said no country at the
moment at peace with the entire
world was in a more precarious po-
sition than Rumania. On the north
and east, Soviet Russia, which never
had been reconciled to the loss OF
Bessarabia to Rumania in settle
ments after the World War, now
holds a border with Rumania from
the Black Sea to the easternmost
tip of Hungary.
Although Bucharest communique
declared no foreign complications
were expected from Premier Cali
nescu's Staying, diplomats pointed
out another communique said
George Dumitrescu, new head of the
Iron Guard charged by the govern
ment with organizing the assassi-
nation plot, had returned to Bu-
charest six weeks ago from the
Ukraine"
German Nazi-ism-inspiration of
the Iron Guard movement-has been
aggressive since the start of the
Polish war. The Germans have
been preston for Rumanian oil for
the Reich's motorized army and Ru-
manian wheat for the Reich's vast
industrial population.
Calinescu Was Key.
In resisting exploitation of his
country's resources by any foreign
power which might seek to use the
advantage for political profit, Pre-
mier Calinescu was key man.
Diplomats had believed that a
peaceful, productive Rumania would
be to War-pressed Germany's advan-
tage. The sudden Russian occupa-
ton of the common Polish-Ru-
manian frontier ahead of advancing
German columns deprived Germany
OF more than verbal pressure from
that quarter, the diplomats had con-
jectured.
There have been many indications
that Germany has been displeased
with Rumania's lack of co-opera-
ton" in facilitating exports to the
Reich.
Diplomats assert Germany fire.
quently made use of Bulgaria and
Hungary, both of which claim pre-
World War territory from Rumania,
to persuade" the Bucharest govern
ment to make show of appeasing
German economic demands. That
appeasement has not gone far
enough has been apparent from re-
ports of recurrent German-Ru-
manian consultations on trade.
Bulgaria's pet dream is to regain
Dobruja. Hungarian revision centers
on Pennsylvania.
The slightest appearance of weak
ness in the Rumanian government
especially if accompanied by sus-
picion that it originated from Ger
man-Soviet pressure - might be
taken as signal by any neighbor-
ing power for territorial adjust
ments," diplomats said.
AS minister of the interior until
last March g. when he became Pre-
mier on the death of DR.. Miron
Cristea, Premier Calinescu frequent
ly was criticized in Bulgarian and
Hungarian circles for what they said
were stern measures in regulating
their national minorities in Ru-
mania.
Started Defense Line.
Because Hungarian feeling al
ways was so high over disputes af-
fecting 100000 Hungarians in
Pennsylvania, Premier Calinescu
started a semi-Maginot Line of forti-
f1cations along the Hungarian from
tier this summer.
Hungary, like Rumania itself, has
been trying to avoid ENHANCEMENT
in the war over Poland. But the
Transylvanian problem still re-
main unsettled. Like Bessarabia and
Dobruja, it is a potential battle
spark
Partly as a result of Premier
Calinescus diplomacy, Rumania re-
mains tied with Turkey, Greece and
Yugoslavia in the Balkan entente
But Yugoslavia's friendship with
Bulgaria now is generally considered
even stronger than her Rumanian
bonds, and it is considered prob
lematical among some diplomats
how much help Turkey and Greece
could or would give Rumania if it
came to showdown.
In the last analysis, diplomats say
Rumania's fate depends on Russia
and Germany. If either marches
against Rumania then Bulgaria and
Hungary are likely to follow.
The inner collapse of Rumania
might we'll be the signal to swing
the war Of the great powers into the