Evening star., 1912-11-13
VITAL TO R0UMAN|A
Has Much to Gain or Lose in
Balkan War.
DISTRUST OF BULGARIA
Russia Bears at Same Time Olive
Branch and Sword.
CAR HAS MOBILIZED FORCE
His Army in Bessarabia Large
Enough to Check Troops of
Roumanian King.
GAR HAS MOBILIZED FORCE
pccial Correspondence Of The Star.


Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, November 4. 1872
While the whole world is occupied in
watching the victorious march of the Bal
kan allies toward Constantinople the
position of Roumania. which has much
to gain or lose in this war, Is lost sight
of. note of anxiety as to how Rou-
mania stands in the great war which is
bound to change the entire situation In
the near east is sounded in the Bucharest
press, but few people know what has been
happening of late in that capital Events
of far-reaching Importance are taking
place and the situation calls for explana
ton.
AS soon as the overmastering Balkan
intriguer, King Ferdinand of Bulgaria,
had decided that the time was ripe FOR
his great military adventure he sent an
envoy to reassure old King Charles, who,
although he is in his seventy-fourth year,
is a force to be reckOned with In the
counsels not only of the allies. but of
Europe. The envoy assured the king that
the allies were coming out to assist the
Macedonians: that they desired no terri
torial expansion. and that King Ferdi-
nand himself repudiated the designs of
those who wished for "a greater Bull
garia.
King Charles accepted these assurances
and took no other precautions than to
retain with the colors the resevists.
who had been called out for maneuvers
and to have instructions issued to the
officers commanding the various military
zones to see that all supplies were in
good order and to complete arrangements
by which mobilization. If required. might
be effective and immediate.
n RnrbarpSt-wherp Ferdinand of Rlll-
garia is either hated or despised-no spe-
cial success for the allies was anticipated
The extraordinary good fortune that has
attended the campaign has astonished
and alarmed the ROumanianS who know
that if Ferdinand feels strong enough he
will not allow his previous promises to
bind him. The mortality among his
pledges has always been very high.
Friend of Triple Alliance.
Roumania is the friend of the triple al
lance She has 100000 men trained to
war A tenth part of these would suffice
to march over the bare Bulgarian borders
and seize Sofia. which is practically un-
defended. Roumanians hate Bulgarians
If only for the seizure Of Eastern Rou-
mela in 1850 and for their dreams Of
greater Bulgaria. King Ferdinand. who
is as clever as he is unscrupulous-and
this is almost tantamount to calling MIN
a genius-understands the danger and has
summoned Russia to his aid. Russia is
advancing with the sword in one hand
and the olive branch in the other.
The cars uncle, Nicholas NichOlaivitch,
is arriving in Bucharest with a large
suite The grand duke bears with him
field marshars baton and a suggestion
that young Prince Carol of Roumania,
who is now in his twentieth year. and Is
a son of Prince Ferdinand of Roumanta,
nephew and successor to King Charles.
shall wed the Grand Duchess Olga, eldest
daughter of the czar. This is the olive
branch At the same time the sword is
brandished
Across the Pruth. in Bessarabia. Russia
has mobilized force presumably big
enough to hold the armies of the Rou-
manian king. and across the river, hign
over Roumanian territory, come the aero
seen. But both the cars advirers and
King Charles know that II the Russian
guns go off the sound will be heard at
once in Vienna, and the Austrian empire
will put into the field force that In all
proba abilty would be too strong for Rus
sia even though Roumania did not fire
a shot.
Situation Complicated.
It will be seen the situation is one OF
enormous complexity. If the Roumanians
mistrust the Bulgarians they are also
under few Illusions in regard to Russia
They do not nook upon the Muscovite as
the liberator of the southern Slavs: they
have for him shorter and less compli-
mentary description. But at the same
time business is business. and through
st. Petersburg an arrangement might
be reached to extend Roumanian terri
| tory from the Dolurdja in the direction Of
Varna and westward along the Danube.
| This country is now northeastern Bull
garia, and If the map of Europe is to be
| changed the modification outlined here
might help Roumania to remain quiet
| while King Ferdinand realizes great
part Of his ambitions.
One the other hand, Turkey and hOu-
mania have no quarrel. Roumania broke
away from the Turk in 1887. The Berlin
| conference decided a year later that the
| fracture was complete and irremiable,
and since 1881. when the present ruler
became king of the country he had ad-
ministered for fifteen years, Bucharest
and Constantinople have known few diff
| ferences. Between Bucharest and Vienna
there has been close relationship, and 1t
is generally understood that secret
treaty exists.
Has Difficult Task.
Here comes the Russian policy OF
bribing and threatening at the same time
and as st. Petersburg only bribes when
| it is not prepared to fight If fighting car
/ POSSIBLY De dVOlOeu, tHcTc Is TtdSOn u uC-
| lieve that the Grand Duke Nicholas
| Nicholaivitch has a difficult task before
| him. His greatest chance of success lies
in Roumania's wish to keep her powder
dry, in the hope that when all the bel
/ ligerents are exhausted she may be better
| able to make her voice heard In the sub
| sequent settlement.
| While there are elements that make for
| peace-and of these elements the star.
| Ting uncertainty of war is the greatest
1T is impossible to say what would be the
result of a complete Turkish defeat II
the Roumanian public were reused to a
belief that Ferdinands ambitions. so wei
known throughout the Balkans. were In
danger of realization, 1t would tax the
wits Of the country's statesmen to hold
them back The temptation offered by q
defenseless Bulgaria, coupled with the
knowledge that they have sympathizers
in the high places Of Vienna and Berlin
might be fatal to counsels Of peace and
| prudence. l.. HI. MOORE.