The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-02-10
MuSSOlini MendS Balkan Fences
With Eyes On Allies Near East Army
BY THOMAS M. JOHNSON
NEA Service Military Writer

Benito Mussolini's stragetic hand
has clutched the biggest plum in
the Balkan Entente Conference pie,
thus reaching closer to pastries even
richer. Meanwhile, Joseph Stain
has had his fingers burned.
30 1t appears today. despite dip
lomtaic smoke-screens. For ale
though Turkey, Greece, Rumania
and Yugoslavia did not make a
military alliance to protect one
another from -Bolshevik ag-
erosion, they edged toward one.
Also they made the frankest
move to date to appease Bulgaria,
which Stain had been working
on as a possible borer- from-wi
In their rather disunited midst.
If that appeasement succeeds,
the Balkans-and Italy, too-are
that much safer, from Russia.
For that artful dodgers Carol of
Rumania, has receded a bit from
the attitude that all Dobrudja was
his, to have and to hold. Talk of
his yielding the entire southern
"Cadrilaterul" probably is unjus-
titled, for numerous reasons in
Guiding even the sentimental one
that beneath this soil coveted by
Bulgaria lies buried the heart OF
Queen Marie. But Carol will do
something. Bulgaria probably will
wait for the rest, like Hungary
waits for her slice of Transylva-
mia.
VOICE OF PAUL
BUT HAND OF BENITO
Now Carols change, If not of
heart, then of hand, was due to a
change by Regent Paul Of the Yugo-
slavs. These best fighters in the
Balkans gave their quondam ally
Carol to understand that they would
prefer he softened slightly toward
Stains Stooge-instead of remain
ing hard-boiled and bringing a war
on himself, and others.
And YugoSlavia has, since Italy
seized Albania, become perforce
Mussolini' stooge. So Paul spoke
not for himself alone, but for
Mussolini-and Carol seems to
have listened. So have Greece
and Turkey.
The Balkan conferees consider
ed pooling some Balkan resources
-YugQslav copper, Turkish chro-
MUM, Greek iron and even some
slippery Rumanian oil-for dis
tribution among themselves-and
their friends. Foremost among
these friends they proclaim Italy.
NEUTRALITY
PAYS ITALY,
Italy is working into position to
get desperately needed coal from
Britain and France-and more than
coal. For she emerges from the
Balkan conference nearer to being
King of the Balkan Mountains,
Monarch of the Mediterranean.
Soon Italy will have six of the
worlds most powerful capital bat
tleships, with two more coming;
also backed by its Swiftest cruis-
ers, its largest feet of long range
submarines and short-range motor
torpedo-boats; also by naval air
supplied with bombers.
Italians are fully aware that the
narrow peninsula which is Italy
invites bombing or indeed, invasion
from France in the west-While from
the east threatens the force of near
100000 Franco-British gathered in
Syria and Palestine under Weygand,
Foch's old right-hand man.
But that force Is intended to back
up Turkey and Corr Rumania in the
Balkans or the Caucasus, fully as
much as to worry Mussolini.
For the Franco-British would
rather not fight Mussolini. And
why should he fight them, when
for blufing and bargaining Bel
grade dealt him more cards to
strengthen a hand already good?
Those cards the Franco British
must watch if they want to fight
in the Balkans. But those cards
the Franco-B British perhaps can
match, for it is they who hold
what Mussolini wants in Africa
and the Near East. And If he can
get, what he wants from them in
exchange for neutrality - which
means nourishment for his emac-
lated treasury - why join Ger
many, and fight for 1t?