Evening star., 1939-11-02

rected almost wholly by military
considerations. Chief among Ger
manys military objectives has been
to render Germany blockade-proof,
to armor the Reich against the
steady pressure Of British sea power
which proved as fatal to Wilhelm
II as to Napoleon. When the de-
cisive hour came, 1t was therefore
natural enough that Germany should
turn away from Italy in favor of
Russia, a state whose resources,
could they be made available in
sufficient quantities. might nullify
the effects Of the British blockade,
while resourceless Italy could only
intensity these results.
How far Russia will 60 in support
Of Germany, and how much that
support will be worth, especially In
the economic sense, are questions
which are all important to Germany
and perhaps to Europe. Mr.. Molo-
toff's speech has done little to clarity
the situation. We must, however,
for the moment, count Russia as in
the German camp.
Russia More Formidable.
Russia is more formidable today
than a few weeks ago by reason Of
having acquired military control
over the three Baltic states, a pro-
cess which she seems anxious to
repeat with Finland. Bearing in
mind the successive destruction by
both Germany and Russia Of the
Independent existence of the small
powers in their vicinity, it may be
worthwhile to inquire into whether
they can continue This process in
Scandinavia and in the Balkans.
Certainly the tendency so far has
beeh to solidify the remaining small
powers of those regions, to cause
them to forget their differences and
to seek to make common cause
against the approach of danger.
Thus, in the north, Scandinavian
unity was never 50 strongly empha-
sized; while in the south the ef-
forts Of Italy and Turkey appear
to be directed toward forming a
Balkan entente which may include
Hungary and Bulgaria. Indeed,
there are new rumors that Italy
and Turkey may cooperate In this
effort instead of considering each
other as rivals for Balkan influ-
ence as in the past.
Strong Support Essential
But strong support will be needed
both in the north and in the south
for those countries which lie ad-
jacent to Germany and the Soviet
Union, lest the process of picking
of little states one by one be con-
tinued, while the others hesitate or
draw back. Thus Rumania is mem
aced not only by Hungarian re-
wisconsin, encouraged by Germany,
and Bulgarian rivisionism, encour-
aged by Russia, but also by Rus
sta's desire to repossess herself of
the Province Of Bessarabia. Hum
gary. dercely nationalistic, with no
desire to become q German pawn,
occupies so exposed q position that
1t Is difficult to see how, save by the
instant and whole-hearted support
Of Rumania, Yugoslavia and italy,
she could even delay a German
march into her territories. The at
titude Of Yugoslavia is apparently
very largely dependent on that Of
Italy.
In the North, Russia renews her
demands on Finland, demands
which, to Judge from Finnish re-
action to the Moloto6 speech, are
increasing day by day-this being,
Of course, In the best Hitlerian ira
dition. It Is uncertain whether
Sweden, menaced as she would be
by Russian occupation Of Finland,
can or will come to Finland's as
sistance. The same may be said Of
Norway.
Yet both in the Baltic and in the
Balkans, there applies with increas-
Ing force the remark Of BENJAMIN
Franklin about hanging together or
hanging separately.
It may be too early to say that
Italy and the Balkan states are
moving toward alignment with
English and French against the
German-Russian combination, yet
the conclusion of the Anglo-French-
Turkish pact, the changes in the
Italian cabinet and the reports of
closer relations between Italy and
Turkey all seem to point toward
some sort Of concerted resistance in
this area against further Russo
German advances, a resistance
which might very well in the end
bring all these nations into alliance
with the western powers.
Pressure May Wreck Plan.
As an Offset to these slowly crystal
lizing resistances, the Germans and
Russians-who, like the ancient
Romans, well understood how to
divide and rule-may well attempt
pressure Of various sorts, not ex-
cluding military action, against the
more exposed of the smaller nations,
such as Hungary and Rumania.
Finland and Denmark are likewise
possible targets for this picking Ion
process. Holland is in little better
ease. Belgium and Switzerland,
oeing adjacent to France, might find
support more available to them than
some Of the others, but they, too,
must have their anxieties in q
Europe which has seen so many
small peoples pass under the yoke
within the space of single year.
It is, indeed, In considering the
fate Of Poland, Czecho- -Slovakia,
Austria and the Baltic States that
one wonders whether 1t Is not in
the continuance Of such a combina-
tion OF the political and military Of
fensive that Hitler and Stain may
seek the further attainment Of such
common objecives as they have in
mind rather than In battle with
enemies whose real power they have
yet to test.
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