Evening star., 1945-09-30

own contribution, some of the drilling
machinery for the refineries which were
taken from Romania when the Red
Army entered the country. Some of
this equipment belonged to Germany
and is considered as legitimate war
booty. But some of the machinery
belonged to the American, British,
French and Belgian oil companies which
had obtained concessions and have been
doing business in Romania for the last
so years. All that has been thrown
into one lot and is going back to the
oil fields at Ploesti and Campina as
RusSia's share in the expansion of
Romania's economic activities.
The most important industrial area
In Romania is around Resita, which
used to be called the Essen of Romania.
At Resita. which is in Western Romania,
the Russians also have been given so
per cent of the total capital which is
estimated at several hundred million
dollars. In all the industrial companies
the main officials are Russians and the
underlings are proven Romanians, !"
that is to say, men whom the Soviet
authorities trust
The case of Resita probably is the
most illustrative of all, not because of
the Importance of the areas chief heavy
industry establishment, but because the
Russians maintained its previous main
shareholder and president, Nicholas
Melaxa, as their trusted man. Mr.. Me-
laxa Is capitalist" in the old sense
of the word. After the Romanians
joined Germany he rushed to Berlin,
became close friend of Reichsmarshal
Hermann Goering and named Goering's
brother as director of his works.
In spite of the hunt for collabora.
tionists which brought tens of thou
sands of persons before firing squad,
to the Siberian mines or tosconcentra-
ton camps in the Carpathians, Mr.. Me-
laxa, close friend Of Goebbels and the
Nazis, enjoys a privileged position in
Romania with the Russian authorities.
A syndicate similar to that created
for agriculture and the manufacturing
industry has been established for the
waterways and the banks. In accord
ance with the economic agreement, the
Romanian government has placed at
the disposal of the syndicate all the
harbor facilities and the available docks
and yards in Romania on a $3.50 basis.
The Russian contribution consists of
providing technical advisers and addi-
tional shipping for navigation on Che
Danube.
Buy From Russia.
The most important clause of the eco.
nomic agreement, as far as the outside
world is concerned, Is not only that the
arrangements exclude any third power
from doing business in Romania but
also provide that Romania must pur.
chase whatever she needs in Russia. In
the event Russia is not able to deliver
certain tools or manufactured prod
ucts, Romania must purchase them
abroad through the U. S. S. R., which
through the banking syndicate, will
maintain complete control over the Ro-
manian currency and banking system.
Thus, Romania henceforth will be pre-
vented from transacting any business
deals with the "capitalistic countries. :"
1t will be Moscow which will act as an
Intermediary in all such cases.
On September Is, the official Soviet
broadcaster Yermashev extolled the
great advantages the liberated" coun-
tries in the Balkans will derive from the
true democracy" with which they have
been blessed so recently. Yermashev
probably had not been informed that a
copy Of the Romanian-Russiane economic
agreement had found its way to WASH
ington and London.
After warning the Western Allies of
the fatal" consequences resulting from
a policy of ignoring the interests OF
these peoples Tin Southeastern Europe)
who have learned the value of democ-
raGy," he proceeded with the following
Illuminating statements:
Sometimes the reactionary press
abroad represents the matter in the
following way: These democratic gov
ernments are only obedient executives
of the Moscow will Everybody knows
that the Soviet Union is strictly adherhg
to policy on nonintervention in the
internal affairs of other countries and
respects the sovereign right of other
peoples. In reality, an opposition to
these governments is an opposition to
democracy and for turning Europe
into an area of imperialistic machina-
tions, as happened after the World War. :"
The Russian government, through
its powerful propaganda agencies, claims
that the world will 60 to pieces unless
there Is an intimate collaboration
among all nations. In this the Russian
government has the full support of
her other Alliees. But there is a strong
feeling in many quarters in America
and Britain that when collaboration
becomes one-side affair, it becomes
surrender.
Protest to Molotoy.
And America, which has emerged
from the war as the most powerful ma
ton in the world, sees no reason why
1t should accept the dictates of any
other country. America is hungry for
peace and anxious to get on with the
reconstruction Of the shambled world
as soon as possible. It is prepared to
make further substantial sacrifices for
that purpose. s>i
Secretary of State Byrnes and For
eign Minister Bevin protested strongly
when Commissar Molotov presented
them with the Hungarian treaty.
Russia Is demanding the right to
participate in international and COM
mercial affairs all over the globe We
are willing to accept her cooperation
provided, however, that Moscow does
not bang the door In our face IN areas