19 FEBRUARY 1937, Page 2

Balkan Diplomacy It is very natural for King Carol and

the Rumanian Govern- ment to resent the action of the diplomats of six countries in attending the funeral of two members of an illegal and terrorist organisation—the Iron Guard. The King's resent- ment especially is intelligible, as the Iron Guard, with whom the offending diplomats may be taken to have expressed sympathy, is violently anti-Semite, while he is in a very definite sense pro-Semite. The Iron Guard was banned in 1933 by M. Duca, who was later murdered by one of its members. The Government regards the action of the diplomats, among whom were the Italian and German Ministers, as an interference in the domestic policy of Rumania. It was certainly not the part of diplomats to show sympathy with a party which works by terrorist methods to substitute a dictatorship for the monarchy of King Carol ; nor has the behaviour of the German Minister advanced the prospects of the German alliance which is the aim of the Iron Guard's policy. The diplomacy of Germany is not notably skilful ; it is difficult to believe that either Germany or Italy will suffer willingly the rebuff of having their repre- sentatives in Rumania withdrawn.