RUMANIA’S STATUS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20058, 3 October 1939, Page 10

RUMANIA’S STATUS

BALKANS KINGDOM AIM OF NEUTRALITY HIGH PRICE LIKELY There have been many conflicting reports as\to the position of Rumania in the present eastern European "neutrality Crisis.” A few days ago it ;was reported that Russia had offered the Balkans kingdom fresh assurances regarding the protection of her enutrality. This appeared to be supported by the Red Army’s action in occupying enough of Poland to cut Germany off from the Polo-Rumanian border.

It has been indicated, however, that Rumania may be asked to pay a steep price in both economic ,and territorial concessions for the privilege of neutrality. So far she has given way on the economic side to the extent of granting Germany a new and favourable trade agreement, but she seems disposed to resist any threat to her territories.

There have been two versions of the terrorist demands made against Rumania. One is That she will be drawn with Bulgaria into a Black Sea bloc negotiated by Russia and Turkey, and that this will involve tho return of the province of Dobruja to Bulgaria.

The other version is that she will be required to hand over a large part, or even the whole, of Bessarabia to Russia. The reality of this threat is indicated by the fact that Rumanian reinforcements have been sent to the Russo-Bessarabian border. An Important Seaport First, as to Dobruja. This province is in the south-east of Rumania and consists of the whole of the territory between the River Danube, the Bulgarian frontier and the Black Sea. It has an area of 23,000 1 square kilometres and a-population of round about 1.000.000. It is not a particularly valuable area naturally, but its importance to Rumania is considerable. for half-way along the Dobrujan coast of the Black Sea is Constanta, Rumania’s principal port, and, indeed, her sole outlet in winter when the Danube, some 80 miles to the north, is ice-bound. Constanta is one of the main loading points for Rumanian oil. Dobruja was once a part of the Bulgarian empire, but it capitulated to the Turks in 1411 and came under Turkish domination for nearly 500 vears. In 1878, by the Treaty of Berlin, it was assigned to Rumania in compensation for the annexation of Bessarabia by Russia. In 1938 the Central Powers annexed

the province and handed part of it to Bulgaria, but by the Treaty ot Neuilly in 1919 it was restored to Rumania.

Thus it will be seen that the suggestion of “returning” Dobruja to Bulgaria conveys an entirely erroneous impression. Except for a period of barely a year (1918-19) it has not been held by Bulgaria for centuries. Bessarabia, which the Russians covet (because part of it is in the Ukraine, which the Soviet Government appears especially anxious to unify as a sort of vast Russian protectorate) is a province of some 45,000 square kilometres carrying a population of more than 3,000,000, of whom 20 per Ukrainians. It forms the north-eastern part of Rumania and occupies the whole of the Black Sea coast not covered by Dobruja Would Have No Port Thus, if the Russian and Bulgarian conditions were both imposed upon Rumania, she wotud j?ave no seacoasl at all, and no port. Indeed, she would be in the position that Poland was in before the Allies devised the scheme of Danzig and the Polish Corridor. Bessarabia, was annexed from its Rumanian rulers by Russia in 1812. It had previously been held at various times by Turkey and the annexation was styled “the delivery of the Moldavians (Moldavia is an adjoining province) from the Turkish yoke.” In 1877 Russia took a little more territory, and in compensation for the annexation as a whole, Dobruja was assigned to Rumania. After the Great War the Bessarabians declared for Union with Rumania, and the territory became a Rumanian province. Greater Rumania became a country equivalent in size to England, Wales and Scotland, and with a population of about 20,000,000. Treaty With Germany

In Rumania’s new trade treaty with Germany provision is made for increased supplies to the Reich of petrol, iron and coke. This can only be regarded as a considerable gain to Hitler, the importance of which may perhaps best be gauged by the following pre-war comment on the previous treaty (now substantially amended in Germany’s favour) written by the Bucharest correspondent of the London Spectator:—

“The German-Rujcnanian Treaty of March 23, 1939, is an unprecedented affair. In effect, the Rumanians, if they have resisted Germany’s claim to monopolise their trade, are nevertheless giving the Germans a free hand to exploit their country economically, to develop its forests, increase its agricultural production and exploit its oil and mineral wealth for five years as a start

“Most Rumanians are certainly uneasy at the concessions which have been made. Other people are sceptical about Germany’s gain because, as they are able to point out, the production of oil has been falling off. Whereas 8,704,000 tons of crude oil were produced in Rumania in 1930, in 1937 production fell lo 7,153.000 an din 1938 to 0,000,000 tons-“Non-German foreign observers are inclined to insist that Rumania is bound to keep up a good deal of trade with the free exchange countries in order to import coffee and certain indispensable raw materials, while Germany requires hides, cotton, etc., which she can never squeeze out of Rumania.

“The Rumanians themselves enjoy the new eagerness of France and Britain in bidding for Rumanian favours. There is, moreover, a Strong tendency among them to feel, not without justice, that they have always been exploited by foreigners and JeWs who were willing to woi'k harder than Rumanians, and that if the Germans wish to drive the others out by working very much harder still, what difference does it make?”