Show I INo I r No Booby P Prizes ies in the Game of War RUMORS arc are coming thick and fast from front that great breeding ground of rumor the Balkans Romania has accepted Russian armistice terms and Romanian Romanian Ro Ro- manian armies have been ordered t to fight the Germans Bulgaria has asked for final terms peace peace ace terms from th the allies and is already withdrawing troops from occupied territory in Yugoslavia Hungary has ordered political parties dissolved in an effort to combat a wave of opposition which includes mutiny in the Hungarian army Those are the rumors Nobody knows just how much truth there is in them They may be signs indicating an impending collapse of the whole axis Balkan front or they may be just another r crop of turmoil tal talk within Europe which has s no immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate significance It Is well for Americans to consider these rumors cau cau- We have had many many rumors of trouble in Germanys Germany's satellite countries and of impending peace deals before Weve We've had them about Finland about Bulgaria about Romania and about Hungary This time they may be true true or or they may not We would be wise not to count any Balkan peace chickens until we at least see some eggs instead of just hearing the cackling of he hen Meanwhile it is well for Americans to give thought to one point which these rumors bring up It is quite quit likely that as in inthe inthe inthe the last war the German war machine will begin to crack in inthe inthe inthe the Balkans Last time Bulgaria's surrender on Sept 29 was the that the end was near for Germany It may be that the defection of one or more of Germanys Germany's Balk Balkan n allies will ag again in point the way vay to a German collapse It is traditional for forthe forthe forthe the Balkan countries to try to save their necks by being the first to leave a sinking ship They hope by leading the surrender parade to gain some sympathy and recognition from the winning winning winning win win- ning side ide The proclamation credited to King Mihail of Romania read over the Bucharest radio Wednesday indicates such a hope on the part of Romanian politicians The proclamation claimed that the united n nations had recognized the injustice of the dictate of Vienna by which Transylvania was torn from us The Romanians Romanians Romanians Ro Ro- Ro- Ro apparently hope that by being the first rat to leave Hitler's sinking ship Romania will be rewarded with territory in the peace settlement Romania may hope for other rewards too So may Bulgaria or Hungary if these other Balkan nations nations nations na na- na- na should surrender in the near future We ought to make up our minds right now that there will willbe willbe willbe be none of that business These Balkan alli allies s of Hitler deserve no credit for surrendering They arent aren't doing it out of any ny love for us They arent aren't proving that overnight they have become become become be be- come pure and innocent of any wrongdoing They are simply quitt quitting ng because they see the game gam is up And in the game of war there should be no po booby prizes r |