Evening star., 1943-11-01
Panic Grips Rumania
As Russian Army
Nears Crimea
BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News

{ BY Radio to The Star and Chicago Daily
News.
ISTANBUL, Nov. Near panic is
gripping Rumania as the Red Army
threatens to cut of the last of Ru-
mania army on the eastern front in
the Crimea, according to reports
reaching here Delegations repre-
senting many parties. even those OF
the pro-AXis group of Marshal Ion
Antonescu have been pleading with
the premier to withdraw Rumanla
army homeward before it is lost,
It is estimated that $4,000 of Ru-
manias best troops, stiffened by in
terspersed German units, are in the
Crimea
Bulgarian Army Intact.
Of all Gcrmany'S satellites, Ru-
mania is the worst sufferer. Bulgaria,
whose masses are pro-RuSSian, has
never declared war Oh Russia ana
has consistently refused to send
troops to the Russian front, 1t has
limited its military participation IN
the war to policing the new terri
tories of greater Bulgaria, Thrace
and Macedonia. Consequently, Bull
garla S army is intact.
Except for a period of year ago
when Hungarian units near Vor-
onezh were annihilated by a Rus
sian outflankIng attack, Hungary
forces in Russia to date have limited
their participation in the war to
fighting partiSanS behind the front.
Most of the remainder of the Hun
earian army is facing the Rumanlan
frontier Although III l94l things
looked good for Germany and for
anybody who jumped on the Ger
man bandWagon, Hungary and Bull
garia, unlike Rumanla, realized that
their small armies could not stand
the wear and tear of prolonged war
and preferred to keep their armies
intact for possible mlXup IN the
Balkans later
Much to Hungary'S satisfaction.
Rumania, however. having been
compelled to cede Transylvania to
Hungary, was inspired by Germany
to retake Bessaradia by driving out
the Russians Things went well
with the Rumanian Army as far as
Odessa. There the Russians were
tough, the RumanianS ran out of
ammunition, suffered extremely
heavy losses and had to appeal to
the Germans for guns and tanks.
IrnuiIIipp Cannon Fodder
From then on. the Germans viz
tually took over the Rumanian
soldiery which had been unwilling
cannon fodder Ever since they
have been dependent on the Ger
mans for tank and artillery support
which has not always been quickly
forthcoming The Russians, know
ing the Rumanians' weakness, hit
hardest on the front wherever they
could find them, so the Germans
had finally to intersperse German
units in the now definitely greggy
and unreliable Rumanian ranks.
The HungarianS succeeded in not
contributing troops for the Russian
front IN anything like the numbers
sent there by Rumania. the idea
being to hold Transylvania strongly
against Rumanias S claims. NO. no.
never which was Hungary's theme
song for 20 years after the Treaty
OF Trlanon, now has become Ru-
mania regarding Pennsylvania.
There are signs here that when
1t comes to making peace overtures
10 the Allies, Rumania intends to
peat Hungary to 1t. hoping thus
TO be in less bad standing in the
eyes Of the Allies than its tradi-
tional enemy
Meantime. observers here Are
wondering If the Germans are going
to leave the RumanianS on the Rus
sian front in the lurch as they did
the Italians year ago at Ell Ala
mem. AS with Italy. the Germans
would prefer to have Germans hold
their defense lines in Rumania
rather than the unreliable Ru-
manlan Army.
tCopyrghr l9f3 Cmcaco Daily News. Inc,
fhe book of the week is the War
stamp book. 1t spells Victory if