The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-04-19
Balkan
Nations
On Spot
Must Make Hard
Choice In War
For Position "
Nov Going On
BY GABRIEL VOGLIoTTI

BY GABRIEL VOGLIOTTI
NEITHER press dispatches
nor diplomatic cables, say
outstanding experts, give an
adequate picture of the war
for position that is going on
hourly between some II ma
tons of Europe.
What has hitherto been simply
the impact of the expansion policy
of the two axis powers smashing
against the status quo policy of the
French British alliance is now
nothing less than continental war
In the accommodating stage.
To speak of power politics be-
tween Rome and Berlin on the one
hand, and between Paris and Lon
don on the other, is to restrict the
picture to much less than its true
proportions. BY fate or by design
nearly every nation in Europe is
sparring for position. Even nations
which for 20 years have had no
more diplomatic activity than a
routine exchange of ambassadors
now are face to face with immedi-
ate historic decisions.
A FEW months ago, the
small powers of Central
and Eastern Europe had the
option either of aligning them
selves with one of the two con-
tending blocs. or of maintain
ing a safe neutrality.
Today the latter alternative has
little meaning. For by making a
choice of neutrality. such nations
as Greece, Yugoslavia and Ru-
mania would be in fact aiding the
fascist powers and Threatening their
own independence.
On the basis of such a decision
the axis would complete its cal
culations of strength by writing off
three of the powers necessary to
England for an encirclement of
Germany.
Independence from England's
proposed alliance on the part of the
three nations named might assuage
the dictators But how far such neu-
trality would forestall Italian OPP
erations against Greece. Yugoslavia
and Rumania based on Albania is
in each case a gamble on existence.
To align themselves, on the other
hand. with the totalitarian powers
would be equivalent sooner or later
to conquest without war.
THE remaining alternative,
4 upon which a choice can
not long be postponed. lies in
joining the French British
Polish military alliance, osten-
sibly the only logical course for
nations too weak individually
to withstand German-ltalian
surprise blows.
But the fact remains that the
three nations having most to lose
from the eastward advance of Ger
many and Italy have conflicting
territorial claims among themselves
which make the question of mutual
defense a contradiction of interests.
At this point, each of the
Ea-traI Enranann afaS faces
its own perilous decision with
only tragic alternatives from
which to choose.
Only if Poland, Rumania, Yugo-
slavia and Greece could be welded
into an iron-bound reciprocal mill
tarv alliance with France and Eng
land could each individual member
be assured of an unmolsted future.
But this condition precedent can
come about only if. for example,
Poland were to understake TO guar
antee Rumania against the terri
torial claims of Hungary and Bull
garia again, If all would guaran-
tee Yugoslavia against similar
Hungarian claims: further that all
would guarantee Greece security
against Turkish claims.
WHAT is certain today is
W that the French and Brit
ish foreign offices are doing
far more than is officially dis
closed toward reconciling the
differences that prevent united
action by the small states of
Eastern Europe. This period
is described as one of greater
secret diplomatic activity than
at any time since the confer
ence of Versailles.
Britain is trying to telescope into
period OF weeks the forms-
tion Of a bloc similar 10 the one
which at the time OF the World war
had been 40 years in the making.
American diplomatic authorities
make no pretense Of forecssting the
lineup. AS in 1914 there Is no way
of Analysing the mental processes
of parliaments. kings and presi-
dents when each state knows pri-
vately that II must guess right or
20 under.
And the small states Of Eastern
Europe are not helped in their de-
cisions by q geographic situation
that places British and French
arp,ies on the far side Of Germany,
and British and French fleets IN
"no-usn's1 Mediterranean.
WEATHER AND TIDES
Fair tonight and Thursday.