Evening star., 1940-02-04
Lure of Rumanian Oil Supplies
Threatens Peace of the Balkans
Rumania May Provide Third Front, Ending
Staemate War Through Army of the
Levant; Italy in Key Position
Bv Constantine Br0wn.

DJ ~ Obce"i
Can the allies create third front and
engage the Germans in an open battle?
This appears, at the present moment, to
be the predominant problem over which
the British and the French general stats
are pondering.
There is definite belief among the
military men in the allied countries that
unless the armies of the Reich are forced
outside their chosen limits into an open
battle, this war will continue for an in
definite time, with dire consequences to
the social structure of Europe and pos
sibly to the rest of the world
Rumania appears to be at this time
the best bet of the allies. The Danube
has seen for centuries momentous strug-
giles. Since the walls of concrete on the
western front make a pitched battle i'm
possible, the thoughts of the military
commanders have turned toward the old
battle-ground in the Balkans.
When Premier Chamberlain declared
with all the authority of his Office that
the spring will see an embittered fight
between the contending forces and Mr..
Churchill warned the neutrals that the
allies are fighting their battle and they
had better join in the fray, the leaders
of the British Empire were thinking
definitely of moving the battle front from
the west to the Balkans They like the
French, believe that war of movement
can be fought between the Dardanelles
and the Carpathians.
Reich COvets Rumanian Riches.
Rumania has been storm center ever
since the disappearance of Poland. It
has riches which Germany covets. 1t has
oil which is vital to the Reichs national
economy and the German naval and air
forces. 1t has raw materials which Field
plotted to the great benefit of the Reich.
The allies know all this and they has
tened to guarantee Rumanias territorial
integrity against German attack four
months before the second world war
started.
There were rumors of an impending
attack on Rumania in November and
December last year. These did not, ma
terialize because King Carol played his
cards carefully. When hard pressed by
the Germans to sell the bulk of Ru-
mania's oil production to the Reich he
baked at first, then yielded. An agree
ment was signed between the Bucharest
and Berlin governments whereby IS
per cent of Rumania's oil was allotted
to Germany. ~ Carol knew that this did
not mean much because the Germans
had no quick means of transporting even
that quantity (some 175o0O tons of oiD
because of the lack of tank cars. The
Danube-chief means of transportation
of bulky materials-Was frozen and was
certain to remain so until the middle of
March.
The allies did not protest against this
agreement. But the Germans, as spring
approaches and the possibilities of using
the Danube for the conveyance of large
quantities of oil become normal, have
put more pressure on Rumania. They
have asked for more oil than was pro-
vided for in the original agreement.
When King Carols government replied
that there was no more available for
export because the oil companies-80
per cent in the hands of British, Amer
ican, French and Belgians-refused to
increase their output, the German gov
ernment advised Premier Tatarescu to
seize the wells la Mexico. Berlin ad-
vised Bucharest to nationalize COM
pletely the companies exploiting the
Rumanian oil fields. But whatever the
means of increasing the oil production
may be, the Germans want Rumania
TO obey orders from Berlin, and pro-
duce in accordance with the dictates
of Germany's ministry of supplies.
Warned on Allied Agreements.
Because there was canger that the
Germans might impose their point of
view on King Carols government, the
allies in turn raised the question of
their already having purchased large
quantities of oil to be stored for their
account in Rumania, and warned the
government of that country that it
must live up to its agreements with
the London and Paris governments
Carol is between the devil and the
deep blue sea. His heart goes to the
allies, but he fears the Germans. Sur