Evening star., 1939-12-04
Boris, Whole Show in Bulgaria,
Rules With q Firm Hand
King Is No. | Man
By Deserved as Well
As Acquired Title
By ELMER PETERSON,

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
SOFIA, Bulgaria.-With the tenn
porary suspension Of the Sobranye
bulgarian parliamenD there is
new attention to the fairly tall,
thoroughly immaculate and slightly
stopped person of King Boris III,
who makes a hobby of driving rail-
way locomotives and who employs
the same firm hand in ruling his
kingdom of 100000 people.
Pending new general elections in
late December and January, King
Boris is again in the open position
of conducting q personal regime,
since even the facade of democratic
government is now removed for the
time being.
He is now, you might say, pretty
much the whole show in Bulgaria.
He has the support of army circles,
both active and reserve. He has
the respect of his people and the
love and affection of a large share.
The No. l man In Bulgaria, by
deserved as well as acquired title.
King. Politician. Diplomat. A unique
figure in European politics.
Although some dissension bubbles
under the surface, the Bulgarian
public has accepted the suspension
of their parliament with remark
able calm.
Tribute to Monarch.
This is due, in part, to the ban
on any open political activity; the
restraints on public expression OF
feelings. In part, however, 1t must
be accepted as tribute to the Bull
garian monarch. There Is a wide
belief in Bulgaria that King Boris
is a smart man and that what he
does must have point and purpose.
The Bulgarian public realizes that
this country is In a difficult position
today. To an extent, at least, it
shares the obvious conviction of
King Boris that this is no time to
risk any recurrence of the sort of
party strife that Bulgaria has known
in the past.
It follows that King Boris has q
peculiar status in this day of figure
head and symbolic European mon
archs. To the loyalty he acquires
as a King, he adds definite abilities
as a leader. He has no open, no
publicly displayed support.
Unlike Carol of Rumania he has
no dramatically encouraged national
front. If he pulls political strings,
he pulls them in secret. He has a
flare for sudden and bold moves,
and his political acts are not with
out drama. But there is very little
open buildup.
The people do the talking. The
King acts.
Called Parley Of Leaders.
His most recent political move,
and q bold one in many respects, was
to summon is outstanding political
leaders to the royal palace to get
their opinion on foreign and domes-
tic problems.
The assumption was that he in
tended to appease opposition circles
in Bulgarias "non-political" Par
lament. The assumption was that
he intended to make gesture toward
a return to party politics.
Instead, through his loyal Prime
Minister. George Kiosseivanoff, he
dissolved Parliament promised a
new election.
In summoning these political
leaders, Boris f1attered their per-
sonal vanity. In letting them talk
themselves out in his presence, he
further flattered them. He asked
questions, ventured no opinions Of
his own except to emphasize his
belief that Bulgaria must remain
neutral.
To one of these political leaders,
who was, perhaps, impatient with
things, Boris is reported to have
said:
II am an old engine driver. I
don't take a train straight through
from one end of the line to the
other. There are stops along the
way"
And. this quality of patience is
outstanding today in King Boris,
who, at As, is at the peak Of an
amazing political skill and dexterity.
He has the experience of some bad
moments back Of him. Moments
when his position In Bulgaria was
far more flimsy than real. He has
known confusion and crisis and
near disaster.
No Dynamic Personality.
One would expect an outwardly
dynamic personality. To the con-
trary, King Boris today gives the
impression of a serious, reflective
professor or Judge.
There is no swagger about him, no
spirit of fancy uniforms and belted
overcoats, no sceptered power. He