PLUNDER IN BALKANS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 258, 28 September 1940, Page 7

PLUNDER IN BALKANS.

ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS,

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, Sept. 26. Economic experts in London who have now had time to subject to closer scrutiny the Vienna dictate by which Rumania lost 62,700 square kilometres to Hungary.find its economic implications no less interesting than its political ones. By this transfer effected under Axis threats there comes within the control of Hungary, which in turn is even more under Axis influence than the new Rumanian regime, territory yielding important supplies of commodities m which Germany and Italy arc deficient.

The twelve ceded provinces carry with them 15 per cent, of the output of meat of former Rumania, 7 per cent, of maize. 4 per cent, of oats, 20 per cent, of barley, 9 per cent, of horses, 19 per cent, of cows, 12 per cent, of sheep, and 13 per cent, of pigs,,together with 70,000 tons of malt yearly, and certain amounts of gold, silver, lead and zinc. At the same time a quarter of the total forest land of Rumania has been handed to Hungary. The Axis Powers have, therefore, succeeded in bringing within their grasp much valuable plunder while at the same time leaving a fine confusion of unsettled racial and other problems which arc sure to cause renewed trouble in which Germany can interfere again to her advantage whenever it suits Nazi policy. Under the Vienna dictate Rumania lost 2,883.000 of her former population, but this includes only a million Hungarians compared with 1,266.000 Rumanians now transferred to . Hungary. The remainder are made up of various races including 60,000 Germans who will doubtless he used to cause trouble in Hungary if that country shows independence of spirit. To add to the complications 490.000 Hungarians are still left within the new Rumanian frontier.