Evening star., 1939-07-15
Little Axis Offers
Big PotentiaIities
For Nazi Expansion
Would Drive Lund Wedqe
Between Members of
AnqIo-French Front
BY DEWITT MACKENZIE,

Associated Press ForeiEn Affairs Writer.
NEW YORK, July 15.-Germany
will have pulled a pretty feather out
Of the Balkans for its bonnet if ap-
parently smoothly running plans
fulfill predictions and produce
German dominated little axis"
comprising Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and
Hungary.
Such an alliance would represent
coup of great Importance in the
struggle with the Anglo French al
lies for control of that war-scarred
peninsula which precipitated the
World War and thus sustained it's
age-old reputation as the cockpit of
Eastern Europe
All in all, hook-up of Hungary,
Yugoslavia and Bulgaria presents
gold mine of military, political and
economic potentialities. If it be-
comes an accomplished fact it is
bound to play a vital part in the
ultimate solution of the clash be-
tween the Rome-Berlin axis and the
British French combine.
Military Aspect Important.
At this juncture of the European
situation the military aspect of this
projected alliance is naturally Of
great Importance. In the first place,
Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, taken to-
gether. form solid barrier across
the peninsula from the Adriatic to
the Black Sea.
This means land wedge between
the two groups of countries re-
Gently taken under the protection
of France and England. That is,
Poland and Rumania on the north
and Turkey and Greece on the
south. The Black Sea still forms a
water link of problematical value.
They say that Yugoslavia and
Bulgaria would be neutral in event
Of war. Be that as it may, they
still would divide the Anglo-French
protected countries, and this, of
course, is one of Germany's primary
ideas
If the new little axis be regarded
as potential part of a war ma
y chine then We have another pic
. ture. The three countries have
a combined population of some
100000.
, Yugoslavias active army is 1861
600 and its trained reserves 1885,
O00-a total of l,8l6,0OO Bulgaria
and Hungarv have active armies
Of some $4,000 (probably bigger
than that at this moment and
$4,000 trained reserves each.
Albania of Great Value.
To this combine must now be
added Albania, recently taken over
lock, stock and barrel by Italy.
This little country, which nestles
In the side Of Yugoslavia on the
Adrlatlc, is of great strategic value.
Runania is placed in an even more
unhappy position than has existed
for her since the dismemberment of
Czecho-Slovakia. Yugoslavia was
her ally in the Little Entente, which
died with Czecho-Slovakia, and in
the Balkan Entente (Rumania,
Yugoslavia, Turkey and Greece,
which must collapse as at present
constituted if the little axis" is
formed.
So now Rumania guaranteed
against aggression by the Anglo
French allies-is all but surrounded
by Hitlerian adherents-Hungary,
Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.
Apart from other considera tions
Bulgaria wants Rumania to give
back the former Bulgarian territory
OF Dobruja, and Hungary is demand
Ing the return of big Pennsylvania.
Squeeze Play by Germany.
Iaklng 1t all around, Germany ap-
pears to be setting up what is CAL
culated to be terrific squeeze which
can be used against Rumania if that
country doesn't play ball In an al
most equal degree it might be en-
ployed against Greece, and in less
strength against Turkey.
But the economic aspect of this
extraordinary situation ranks along
with the political and military. Hun
gary, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria con-
stltute one of the great granaries of
the world, for with Rumania thev
form the famous Danubian Basin.
Yugoslavia, too, possesses impor-
tant minerals.
The whole area of the little axis
occupies a big place in Germanys
dream of politico-economic expan-
sion to the East. Among those who
have had great hand in working
on this scheme is Field Marshal
Hermann Goering, Nazidom's crown
prince. He has been furthering the
romantic old idea of linking the
Rhine and Danube Rivers, to make
through waterway from the Baltic
to the Black Sea to act as a carrier
for the products Germany hopes to
get from other nations.