Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-31
.ROUMAN|A ROARS
WITH WARFARE
Peasants Are Inclined to Strike
If It All Does Not Go Over.
SOLDIERS IN GOOD FORM
What the Londoner Says About the
Condition of Labor and Capital. /,
BEAUTIFUL
PERFORMANCES
Collision Between Labor and Capital
May Be Far-Reach-
ing.

The peasants in the petroleum dis
trlct, who up to the present time
have not taken part in the general
disorders, now demand the annul-
ment of all existing concessions to
individuals Or companies, and that
no new contracts be made. Failing
compliance with this demand, they
threaten incendiarism. Strong forces
OF soldiers have been sent to the
petroleum district.
Special Cabegram to The Star
LONDON. March 3O.-No such roaring
Jacquerie has been seen in Europe for
hundred years as that which is now raging
throughout Moldavia and Wallachia the
two provinces out of which the kingdom of
Roumania is formed. The cause of the
Roumanian peasants desperation lies on
the surface. Their great landlords. freed
| from the long subsection of Turkey have
become the most luxurious and dissolute
class of mobiles in Europe Entirely neglect
ing the supervision of their own estates,
they live in the towns and farm out the
lands to bailifs who extort the last possi-
Die penny from the peasantry The maiority
of these bailiffs Jews. who with the
fun authority of the landowner and sup
ported by brthed officials, demand double
and treble the rents, which are already
heavy. The peasants. who have no other
-.
been reduced, with their wives and children.
to live in rotten huts, on the verge of star
vation They all the more formidable
as all have served a period of military serv-
Ice and now. having passed the bounds of
passive resistance, giving vent to their
pent-up hatred and passion with the utmost
savageness. Drastic land legislation in.
volving large measures of what is practical
ly confscation is considered to be the only
means of establishing permanent order.
Lesson for Europe.
The Spectator sees in the whole affair."
wha tever its termination a lesson for all
Europe. 1t says: 1T has been assumed by
all statesmen that in the great collision of
labor and capital which is now shaking
European society, the steadying influence
is the stoldity of the peasants. who have
always been ready to furnish soldiers and
who are supposed to have instructive
regard for property. The idea is sound so
long the peasants own little of farm,
but when the cultivators who rent the soil
in patches are liable to increasing or in
definite demands, the doctrine ceases to be
true. The peasants then suffer like the
artisans. Insurrect with more read
mess than the workmen in town. They,
too are much more fierce and more ipnOr-
ant, and from their position as scattered
communities, will be able to make a better
fight with the soldiers who again. for the
most part, have been drawn from their
own ranks This is the grand danger
throughout eastern Europe and it is very
doubtful, indeed, whether it be re-
moved without d transfer of property so
great and SO violent that 1t would make all
property insecure and then incidentally ex-
tirpate and cripple the only class which,
having the leisure and inclination to Gull
tivate itself, has begun al all events to be
civilized That class Is not numerous
enough to defend itself by it's own hands
and cannot depend permanently on the
soldiers. 1t has therefore, before it only
two alternatives. One is to flee, the
French mobiles did and it is this which is
being generally adopted The other is to
submit to low permanent quit rents i'm
posed from above and accepted by the
losers with a sense of insufferable injus-
tice.''
May Increase Excitement.
The Spectator concludes: 'In Russia,
Austria, parts of Italy and most of the
| Balkan states the Roumanian Jacquerie,
whether successful defeated, will i'm
| mensely increase the excitabilty of the
peasantry and the perplexities of states
| men, already overloaded with problems
| which yet man of genius has arisen
with sufficient mental power and daring to
| attempt to solve"
Some Improvement.
Tie official report issued this evening
shows continued improvement in the stu
alton. Slight outbreaks are still being re-
ported but the troops everywhere have the
/ upper hand.
| number of important land owners have
petitioned the government to POSTPONE for
! one year the payment OF debts to the rural
bank and the payment OF private debts
| incurred through the destruction of crops.
| The petitioners point out that this Will be
| necessary in order to allow the land to re-
| cuperate and permit the resumption OF agri
| cultural work in the spring. They further
| ask the state to grant compensation for the
| crops and estates destroyed by the rioters
| Great Britain Awake.
| LONDON. March 3O.-Great Britain is be-
ing kept fully advised by her minister at
Bucharest and her consuls throughout Rou-
| mania of the progress Of the revolution In
| that country and the efforts of the govern
| ment to put down the disorders. These Off
! cial reports show that the trouble has been
| serious and widespread, and that the army
has had an extremely difficult task to cope
| with the outbreaks and lessen the destruc-
ton of property. For a time 1t was an
open question whether or not the outbreak
had not got beyond the control of the Rou-
manian authorities. but dispatches received
here today indicate that the troops finally
are getting the upper hand of the peasants.
| The damage has been so great, however,
that 1t will take the country years to re-
| cover.
San Francisco Graft.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 3O.-When In
vestigation Of alleged bribery and graft
l