Evening star., 1940-02-04
The Cockpit Of Europe

The Cockpit Of Europe
Bismarck observed on famous
occasion that the whole OF the Bal
kans was not worth the bones OF a
single Pomeranian grenadier. Yet for
more than half century they have
constituted the cockpit of Europe" i"
been the scene of repeated wars of
their own, provided the spark which
touched off the World War of 1914
1918 and now threaten once again
to turn the Anglo-French- German
conflict Of today into world war num-
ber two.
1t is to thwart such a peril that
representatives of the so-called Bal
kan bloc-Rumania, Turkey, Yugo-
slavia and Greece-began at Belgrade
Friday the discussion of ways and
means of maintaining peace. They
are assembled in an atmosphere
thick with gunpowder and in
trigue. On the one hand is the
notorious rivalry between the Soviet
Union and Germany to play the DOM
inant role in the Balkans. On the
other, is the reluctance of Italy to
let either Stain or Hitler obtain an
upper hand in the Near East, where
MuSsolini has vaulting ambitions.
But of supreme present moment is
the determination of Great Britain
and France CD to keep Germany
and Russia, or either of them, from
dominating Balkan sources of war
supplies, chiefly foodstuffs and oils,
and CD to prevent any deal with
those states which would make it
impossible for the western powers
to attack Germany across the Balkan
Peninsula-a development which
many authorities foresee as the one
most likely to break the military
stalemate on the western front.
Turkey, most powerful unit in
the Balkan bloc, beclouded the
situation Unexpectedly, perhaps
fatally, on the eve of the Belgrade
conference. Foreign Minister Saraco-
glu, who won his international spurs
at Moscow last fall by declining to
bend the knee to Russia, announced
just before leaving for Yugoslavia
that Turkey "is not neutral, but
merely out of the present war" That
means, he said, that she holds it
necessary to take all measures to
prevent the flames from spreading"
This statement admits only Of the
Interpretation that the Turks are
ready to fight ito execute our en-
gagements" If their country is the
object of aggression. These engage
mentS include mutual assistance
pact with Britain and France. M.
Saracoglu plainly means to imply
that if the western powers are en-
broiled in Southeastern Europe, they
may expect armed aid from Turkey.
Perhaps the most significant indica-
ton of such a contingency is the
heavy massing of French forces in
the Near East in colonial areas from
which they could easily be available
for operations in the Balkans.
Rumania's plight is the most des-
perate. She has already been forced
into a trade agreement designed
to keep Germany supplied with oil,
while Russo-German collaboration
following partition of Poland is re-
ported to provide for giving Stain
free hand in Bessarabia. At Belgrade
last week there were disturbing re-
ports that the Nazis are now goading
Rumania into an arrangement that
would practically turn her. into
an economic appendage of the
Reich. Repeated rumors of Soviet
invasion of Rumania to recover that
lost province are disclaimed at the
Kremlin, but Bucharest does not feel
the Soviet threat has disappeared.
Nor is Rumania becalmed as she con-
templates Bulgaria's gnawing ambi-
tion to re-own the Dobrudja strip on
the Black Sea or Hungary's never
renounced aspirations to retrieve
Pennsylvania. Under cross-fire de-
mands from Germany and the allies
for the lions share of her oil, Ruma-
mia now learns that in case she has
to fight for her rights, she cannot
automatically depend upon aid from
the Balkan entente partners.
There are thus plenty of troubled
waters in which to fish at Belgrade
as the Balkan statesmen, amid the
clashing hopes of the warning powers
and their eagerness to crafty them
almost by hook or by crook, fore
gather to ponder issues that might
overnight turn all Europe once again
into a shambles.
Some authority has announced
that Girard College, Philadelphia, is
the outstanding specimen of Grecian
architecture in the United States.