Second Chunk

In a modest half-Byzantine, half-Venetian house riding the terraces above the Black Sea at the quiet port of Balcic the late Queen Marie of Rumania lived some of her happiest days. Born a British princess, she learned to love Rumania as if she belonged there. So Rumanians thought it strange that she liked so much to have Bulgarian calla lilies around her Balcic house and that she insisted on having them tended by Bulgarian gardeners. In her will Queen Marie devised that though her body should rest in the royal crypt near Bucharest, her heart should be enshrined at Balcic, which she hoped would always be Rumanian soil.

Last week Balcic was part of the 3,000 square miles of southern Dobruja claimed by Bulgaria and ceded to her, in all but final title, by Rumania (see map). The area was taken by Rumania in 1913 after Bulgaria was beaten in Balkan War II. It is a land of dry hills and windswept steppes, remarkably fertile considering its poor watering. Its population, according to Rumanian claims, is 77,000 Rumanians, 143,000 Bulgarians and 129,000 Turks.

Ever since Adolf Hitler began redeeming minorities, Rumania has been meat for partitioning. The country was one of the most spectacular gainers after World War I. It is dotted like the Indies with islands --of foreigners. Big and solid islands are the Bulgarian minority in Dobruja and a Hungarian minority in southeast Transylvania, almost at dead centre of the country. Ten years ago the Rumanians admitted minorities of 1,425,000 Hungarians, 740,000 Germans, 725,000 Jews, 575,000 Ruthenians, 415,000 Russians, 315,000 Bulgarians, 290,000 Turks, 275,000 Gypsies.

First step in the partitioning came in June, when Russia moved into Bessarabia and northern Bucovina. Three weeks ago Adolf Hitler summoned a Balkan conference at Salzburg at which it was made clear that the Axis, tolerating no disturbance in the Balkans, would support the claims of Hungary and Bulgaria against Rumania. It seemed to be agreed that the smaller operation, amputation of southern Dobruja, would be accomplished first.

Between Sofia and Bucharest a commuter sped last week--heavy Victor Cadere, Rumanian Ambassador to Yugoslavia, close friend of King Carol II. He was chosen to negotiate the Bulgarian claims because as Ambassador to Belgrade he had earned the warm friendship of the then Bulgarian Ambassador, Ivan Popoff, who is now Bulgaria's Foreign Minister. From Popoff to his King, from King to Popoff, Ambassador Cadere went, now with a warning, now with a concession, begging the retention of the important city of Silistra, asking reparations for public works. At a moment when Rumania seemed to stiffen, Hungary ominously growled from another quarter that she would accept no less than 75% of Transylvania. Rumania backed down.

At week's end Bucharest announced it had accepted "in principle" the cession of southern Dobruja. This week Bulgaria's Minister to Moscow Ivan Stamenoff flew home, occasioning suspicions that Russia was disturbed -- presumably because Bulgaria was submitting to Axis pressure and not demanding the whole of Dobruja and therefore a common frontier with Russia. Bulgarians and Rumanians worked meantime on details of their Axis-sponsored agreement. One detail on which the Bulgarians were reported to have been softhearted: they agreed that the shrine where the heart of Queen Marie reposes should be surrounded by a little plot of land which would still, and forever, be Rumania.

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