Evening star., 1939-05-17
Pact With Rumania
Gives Reich Base
Against Russia
Trade Treoty Provides
Far More Than Mere
Economic FoothoId

Far More Than Mere
Economic Foothold
BY WALTER DURANTY.
BUCHAREST, May 16 (NANA).
What Rumania wants most is neu-
trality in the next war, and that is
what it is least likely to get.
Rumania was battle-ground in the
World War and, although 1t finally
emerged with greatly increased ter
ritory, it has no desire to repeat that
frightful experience.
But Rumania's place on the map
and its natural resources have q
logic as cold and merciless as Ger
many's deep-laid plans. Whatever
this country may do, it has been
chosen as one of the key pieces in
Hitler's game and its fate will de-
pend upon circumstances outside it,
own control. Because, contrary to
what is generally supposed abroad
Rumanias position in the German
scheme is not merely that of a
reservoir Of oil, food, lumber and
other raw materials, but something
far more important. 1t will be the
place and jumping-of ground for
future German expansion.
No other Interpretation is possible
OF the Germano-Rumanian economic
agreement, signed in the last week
OF March under such urgent Nazi
pressure that the world called it an
ultimatum and London and Paris
were SO alarmed that they appealed
to Moscow for aid and began those
long-winded negotiations which have
thus far borne little fruit save the
ak on Maxim Litvinoff's head.
Reich to Build Roads.
AT first sight, the agreement seems
designed to develop normal trade
The German technique, efficiency
mechanization, will be put at Ru-
manlas service to increase all
branches OF production. In short
German brains and machines in ex-
change for Rumanian raw material
That is certain, but underneath
there is flock of jokers.
The agreement contains the fol-
lowing points: Germany shall con-
struct Rumanian roads and rail-
roads; Germany shall be granted
free zones in Rumanian ports, with
the right to build factories. stores
and warehouses and to install crane
and loading equipment: Germany
shall have the right to build electric
power and light stations, to conduct
lumber and mining exploration and
development, to give the Rumanians
instruction in agriculture, industry
and hygiene, and to provide a
SlOO 900, 900 credit lin marks for
rearmament purposes.
1t sounds nice, in return for
Rumanian raw materials, especially
when one considers that imports
from Rumania were under 3 per
cent Of Germany's total importations
last year and that it Is physically
impossible to increase that figure to
much more than double.
Even supposing that Rumania S
production is pushed to the utmost
in the next three years, it could
never provide more than 10th part
OF Germany's foreign needs.
More Than Trade Pact.
But If one studies the agreement
in a on-economic light it is easy to
see why the Germans were eager to
have it signed Rumanian roads and
railroads run mostly North and
West; their eastward service Is
meager. Suppose Germany builds
them toward and parallel with Ru-
mania's 500-mile frontier with
Soviet Russia You can imagine q
raised reinforced concrete autostrade
because there are floods in Bukob-
ina and Bessarabia in the spring
and autumn-with frequent culverts
6 feet high and feet wide to take
care of the floods right along that
frontier. With feeder roads at in
tervals of similar construction.
And what would the free zone
factories be manufacturing? Could
not the warehouses serve as hang
ars? The stores might have big,
deep cellars for wine or something
else. And would only surface YES
sells be serviced at the mechanical
wharves?
1t Is useful for the Germans to
select sites where the power and
light stations would be needed, and
the unlimited exploration" for
mines and timber would demand
that maps be made and roads sur
veyed or built. 1t Is already whis-
pered here that several German
projects have small economic value;
some forests or mineral deposits are
In areas where expense of transpor-
tation is out of proportion to the
value received. The money value,
that is.
The German instruction centers"
sound harmless and helpful, but
who knows what additional teaching
Will form a part of their curric-
ulum?
Clear Strategic Purpose.
AAAeAAJ AZ 40 a loSI llldl t1uIIldIlld S
military equipment is woefully het-
erogeneous, that in some cases 1t is
obsolete. 1t would be much better
to use some from Germany-all
German, from rifles to howitzers.
from cartridges to shells, and
searchlights to bombing planes.
Which would also need German in
structors and, moreover, put the
Rumanian Army into the hands of
Germany as source of supply and
replacement.
In short, the agreement from
start to finish has a clear strategic
purpose-to use and develop Ru-
mania as base for attack on Rus
sia or Turkey, not forgetting the
Caucasus, and as a base for sub
marines operating in the Black
Sea. Compared to that, Rumania's s
oil, grain, meat and lumber, how
ever much their output increases,