1941-03-07 — Page 7

History Repeats

At the beginning of the last World War Bulgaria bad entered into negotiations- with the Allies thinking that she would recover some of the territory lost in the Balkan War of 1913. The people favoured the cause of the Allies, and many of the leading statesmen of Bulgaria were pro-Russian, but the Czar Ferdinand and his sup- porters leaned towards Berlin and

By W. Rees Harriss

Vienna, who promised them an outlet on the Aegean as well as the Greek territory of Eputs. Ferdinand's policy resulted in secret treaty with the Central became known Powers, and only

to the people when Bulgaria com -

mences muhtary operations on the side of Germany. with an attack on Serbia in the late Autumn of

1915.

This action

aroused the wrath of the then Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs. M. Sazonoff, re- sulting in the breaking off of dip- lomatic relations. The ultimatuma sent by Russia to Bulgaria follow- ed on a statement containing these words: The whole Russian nation is aroused by the unthinkable treachery of Ferdinand and his government to the Slavie cause. Bulgaria owes her independence to Russia, and seems now willing to become น vassal of Russia's enemies.

The opening words of the Rus- sian ultimatum are almost appli- cable to the situation which has preceded Bulgaria's present align- ment with Germany, víz:-

"Events which are taking place in Bulgaria at this moment give evidence of the definite decision of

King Ferdinand's Government to place the fate of its country in the hands of Germany. The pre- sence of German and Austrian

If a Gallup inquiry were held and then he would cast a look of strike when there reason, are being watched into the popular attitude to fresh anguish at the window.

would air, I wonder which side with close attention not

get the more votes--the advocates As it was a beautiful sunny blowing, yet a young woman sit-officers at the Ministry of War and of the army, the of fresh air or its enemies.

afternoon unmixed with anxiety.

a spring day out of ting in a corner kept the window on the staffs season-1 hardened my heart and wide open beside her as she read concentration of troops on the zone bordering on Serbia, no longer Those who dislike fresh air pretended not to see his misery. [her novel.

leave any doubt as to the object The final outcome, at have, I think, the greater energy At last, however, he rose to his

of the military preparations of the moment, cannot be and are probably the more pugna- feet, leaned over to me and made

The ultimatum con- Bulgaria. cious. They have already succeed- the earnest appeal? "Would you

cluded with the words: "The a derogatory epithet predicted, but it is desired in fixing

Russian Minister has, therefore, on their opponents in the public able that, if the worst mind and have made them in-

received orders to leave Bulgaria with all the staffs of the Legation famous as "fresh air flends."

and the Consulates, if the Bul-

comes to the worst, Thai-

land should bear in mind

that she has other friends

By Robert Lynd

The rest of us were all men, and none of us had the courage to ask her to behave with com- mon humanity. As we shivered In our seats, we stared at her with detestation, and exchanged mean- ing and malevolent glances with each other. But she was apparently inconscious of her unpopularity.

་།

garian Government does not with- in twenty-four hours break with the enemies of the Slav cause and Russia, and does not at once pro-

A similar ultimatum was sent at the same time by Great Britain and France,

This is good propaganda, and

I remember in particular one ceed to send away the officers be- besides Japan. In Sep-the lovers of fresh air have done

passenger: with a red moustache, longing to the armies of states nothing to counter it. They mind having the window up, a whose nose got tember last she ratified a might have

bluer and bluer who are at war with the powers retorted with "fug little?" Not having, the deter-as. his. feet got. colder. When he of the Entente." non-aggression pact with fiends," but they are a pallentmination of a. fresh air hater; I arrived at: London-and the woman

the yielded and pulled up the window, went off down. Britain which had been race not given to revenge.

platform he leaving only an inch open at the turned: to me with the frost of signed three months ear- Not only in words but in deeds top.

hatred sparkling in his eyes and said with intense bitterness: "The ier. This caused much do the haters of fresh air show a

superior activity.. If a hater of Even that did not make the next time she goes by train she satisfaction in London, fresh air gets into a railway com- little man happy; and, indeed, it should travel on the root.” where it was felt that the partment he will begin almost be is my opinion that: an inch of treaty would have an im-fore he has taken his seat plotting window in a railway, train some- and planning how to get the wine times lets in a more malicious draught than a wide-open window portant bearing on the dow shut. bart which Thailand may have to play as a factor ting with his back to the engine or for stability and peace in in the far corner from the win- dow; he hates the thought that any South-Eastern Asia. That trickle of fresh air should be al- s only if the renamed lowed to invade the compartment Land of the Free" insiste/and prevent the atmosphere from throat; so that the passengers were said: "It's only fair to warn you,

on being allowed to work

It does not matter if he is, sit--|

|becoming soporific.

arms

a It is seldom, however, that

The Bulgarian Government em- fresh air: fiend: In a train gets his boldened by the thought that Ger- or her way in this fashion. I can man

must eventually remember only one other instance triumph, flouted the ultimatums. of a fresh air flend successfully She denied the presence of Ger- opposing the wishes of the rest of man officers on the staffs of the the passengers.

Bulgarian army, and even if they were present, she said, it was the He was asked to close the win-concern of Bulgaria only.

Anyhow, the little man sat, with his head in his hands; malcing the most: extraordinary noises in his dow, though the day was mild. He How Ferdinand lost his throne afraid he was going to have a set gentlemen, that I'm suffering from and Bulgaria finally collapsed are zure. I'am perfectly sure that this.was all make-believe, because, the window is shut, some of you

a bad attack of fnfluenza, and, if cominon knowledge,, when at last he got the window may become infected with the o more than a pawn in

shut,. his whole appearance germs." A little man of this temper changed and it was clear that he window was not proceeded with,

The proposal to shut the apan's "New Order" came into compartment in was as hale a man as is to be found

ut its own destiny. As

trategy, Thailand will which I was sitting the other day in the Home Counties.

and at once began staring miser-

ealise, when it is too late, ably at the window that was open I am not myself, I may say, an hat in the totalitarian beside me. Other people came in out-and-out fresh air flend. I cheme of things small and filled the compartment not have sat in a train hating Just like

only with themselves but with to anybody else the person who kept- ations must only be pup-bucco-smoke, but the little mana window open. bets and the weak have no kept fussing in his seat, coughing, ights.

| and hoisting his coat-collar higher I remember travelling from round his neck, while every now Brighton one day during a coal

get his way about keeping win- dows open in railway trains.

On the whole, I think fresh air is becoming more popular than it used to be.. Behind black-out cur- Įtains we miss those agreeable cur- rents of air that used to prevent I have often wondered whether stagnation. In air-raid shelters, the man really had influenza or too; many of the shelterers must whether he hud, merely discovered, lour for the return of the amenities a clever trick by which he could of a draughty home.