Evening star., 1939-05-22
Pact
Disturbs Basis Of
Balkan Entente
Regarded as Worst Nozi
Defect Since Troops
Took RhineIond
BY WALTER DURANTY.


BUDAPEST, May % N.AN.A).-
The session of the Balkan Entente
Rumania, Greece, YugoSlavia and
Turkey, in Bucharest has unusual
importance in view of the interna-
tional situation.
The entente is really a defensive
alliance of the four powers to pro-
tect the integrity of their Balkan
frontiers. But grave new problems
are introduced by the new Anglo
Turkish pact, by the English guar
antees to Greece and Rumania, by
the economic" (which is really
strategical-politicaD agreement be-
tween Germany and Rumania, by
Yugoslavia's swing to the axis, and
finally, by the probability of a more
active policy on the part OF the
U. S. S. r., which is an enigma
that cannot be ignored.
The influential German language
Hungarian newspaper, Poster Lloyd
remarks sourly that the entente's
basic principle, Balkan lands for
the Balkan peoples" has been viii
ated by Turkeys pact with England
incidentally, this pact is regarded
everywhere in Southeastern Europe
and, for that matter, in North
eastern Europe, including Germany
as the first and most serious Nazi
diplomatic defeat since Hitler's
troops entered the Rhineland
Should 1T be followed, as is not
improbable, by a Russo Turkish pact
on the same lines, it is considered in
many quarters that a major new
situation will be created"
Yugoslavia Fifth Wheel to Coach.
AS matters stand in Bucharest to-
DAY, Rumania is like a fish on the
German line, wriggling and kicking
TO escape, but apparently far hooked
Yugoslavia Is like a fifth wheel on a
coach. Its strong axis slants re-
moves any desire to protect the from
tiers of Greece and Rumania against
Bulgaria. which the axis is trying
to win over with offers of the Ru-
manian Dobrudja or a Greek seaport
on the Aegean. And Yugoslavia is
July strong enough to protect its own
frontiers without aid, which, fur
thermore, are unmenaced, save by
the perennial Macedonian agitation
Turkey would like to lure Bull
garia into the anti-axis orbit with
the same bait as the Germans are
offering, but Greece refuses utterly
and King Carol is reported to have
said that royal dictator of little
more than one years standing can
not afford to relinquish territory
which a parliamentary government
kept for nearly 20 years.
All of which makes complex puz-
zle for Balkan wits to solve. Some
shrewd Balkan observers expect q
solution to be found, If it can be
found, through Turkey, that is
through the development Of Turkish
relations with France and the U. s
s. r. Which, in turn, may seem to
depend on the progress of Anglo
Franco-Soviet negotiations.
Russia Would Like Bulgar Aid.
About Turkey I know nothing, but
about the U. S. S. r. venture, with
crossed fingers, a personal opinion
l think the U. S. S. r. would like
to help Bulgaria and win it away
from the axis. If for no other reason
than tradition and amour propre
and the remembrance that a Rus
sian car is still honored by the
Bulgarians as their liberator. The
kremlln would disavoW such "senti-
mental considerations. but it won t
deny that the Bulgarians are gen.
timely Russophile and good, tough
fighting stock.
There now seems to be developing
renewal of friendship between the
U. S. S. R. and Turkey after a period
OF coldness since the Montreux con-
ference, where the Turks thought
the U. S. S. r., whose foreign policy
there was handled by Leo Karakhan
and Maxim Litvinoff, did not sup
port them properly. And new, un-
expected friendship-Balkan politics
makes strange bedfellows-between
them both and Bulgaria. If the Rus
slams think In desirable to check
German plans in Rumania-for
whose fighting capacity they have
no great esteem-they might try
means to induce the cession of the
Dobrudja while Turkey works on
Greece, both directly and through
its new British allies. I have trust
worthy information that the British
minister in Bulgaria would eollabo-
IN 10 L.