Evening star., 1941-03-05
Russian Eniqmu

+ During these past weeks Of grow
ing Balkan crisis, Russia has been
the great question mark. With each
new development, the world has
asked: Where does Russia stand?"
But each time the Soviet government
has maintained a sphinxlike silence.
Well, the Moscow sphinx has at
last spoken, not in roundabout way
through some negative utterance of
a controlled press, but in direct
diplomatic fashion. In answer to
communication from the Bulgarian
Foreign Office informing Moscow of
Sofas consent to the entrance of
German troops, Having in view
preservation of peace in the Balkans"
the Russian Minister to Bulgaria
handed that government a note
sharply dissenting from its thesis.
The note asserted that Bulgaria'S
action docs not lead to the consoli-
dation of peace, but to extension Of
the sphere of war" Therefore Rus
sia cannot render any support to
the Bulgarian government in the ap-.
plication of its present policy"
Moscow's action is variously in
terpreted, and in widely different
ways Russia clearly disapproves
not only of Bulgaria's permitting
German troops to enter, but of Ger
many's sending the troops in. Log
ically, Russia should have sent note
Of protest to Germany as well; in
stead of which she merely repri-
manded Germany'S helpless pawn.
So far as any effect upon the imme-
diate situation is concerned, there
fore, RuSSia'S move is a striking
instance of too little and too late"
That is the aspect which is empha-
sized in the first reactions of the
British press. Why, London editors
pointedly ask, did Moscow wait SO
long when all the world knew what
was in the wind? Why protest only
after the event? Why not have
started weeks ago, when a Russian
diplomatic offensive would have stiff
fened Bulgaria and might even have
created an effective Balkan front
against German aggression? Such
queries suggest that these London
editors feel that the Russian pro-
test, though anti-German in form, is
not very much so in effect.
In Berlin, official spokesmen tend
to shrug the matter off as of scant
Importance. Their tone seems to be
that RusSia's dislike of what has hap
pened is quite understandable but
cannot weigh against the vital neces-
sites of the axis; that Russia knew
all about it; and that if Moscow
wants to protest to keep the record
straight, there should be no hard
feelings on either side.
AS contrasted with London's irri-
tation and Berlin's complacence, An
kara seems to be distinctly encour-
aged This may give the key to the
enigma. What Moscow must be
really worrying about is not so much
Bulgaria as Constantinople and the
straits. To have them fall into Ger
man hands would, for Russia, be a
disaster. Hence, this slap on the
wrist to Bulgaria may well be both a
warning to Germany to leave Turkey
alone and an encouragement to Tur-
key to resist German pressure. If,
in consequence, Berlin gives the
proper assurances and canalizes its
energies against Greece, Russia's
major interest in the Near Eastern
situation would be served.
That, at any rate, appears to be
the most logical Interpretation of
Russia's -belated diplomatic move in
Bulgaria. 1t tends to confirm the
view that Russia dares not directly
challenge Germany. But it also goes
to show that Russia's attitude toward
Germany is motivated, not by close
understanding but rather by sus-
picion and fear.