New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-12
Rumania's Crisis Aggravated by
tbe Death of King Charles.


made TO nationalstic sentiment by the opportunity
now offered to redeem" the portions of Iransyl
vania and Bukowina populated chiefly by Ruma
mans is one which reorganaed government at
bucharest will find it most difficult TO resist
While King Charles lived his personal asSocia
tions and preferences stood in the way or rean
zoton Of the dream of greater Rumania. He wasa
member Of the House of Hohenzolern, former oil
fcer in the Prussiau Guards and loyal sympathizer
with German aims and policies. He had shown Oh
,rarr occasions that he had not Invested himself 81
,,. ,rono,eoss,ons Of his youth when be became
Prince Of Rumania. He was willing TO ahnisonNe
his subjects rather than 10 subordinate his persona'
views 70 what they considered the nations para
roorrt interest. And he had never gone further IN
inviting popular antagonsm than he did "hen al
the outbreak Of the present war, he insisted Oh
committing Rumana to the cause OF Germany ana
,rstria. Hungary. and when the Cabinet refused
- sanction such step, on the preservation or
strict neutrality. as the next best thing III Ger
nanv's and Austria Hungary's interest.
IIe had ruled in Rumania fortNciGht years hrst
49, Prince and then as King and his reign bad been
~, tho whole. one Of fruitful development. He had
secured the abolition of Turkeys rights Of suzer
ainty. had brought Rumana military reno"n ID the
camnaien of Plevna and had worked successfully
t,;ld nm industry and commerce He had ex-
tended the boundaries Of the kingdom ana had
bcen q noverful factor in its educational as well
nc economic progress His subjects disagreed with
linn. but they did not overrule him. 1t will be
easier for them to force their view upon his sue
cessor. who must by training and associations, be
much more nearly in touch with native sentiment
Rumania seemed destined to serve as useful
ally to Germany in the Balkan Peninsula. Her
people are non-Slavic. and are therefore not at
tached by race ties to the other Balkan NATIONS
I1er rerninc house was German. Although Russia
fought her battles against the Turks and she Joined
the Car in the TurcoRussian War Of 1877, the ter
ritoral settlements growing out of that war left
her with a grudge against Russia. The Berlin
Congress handed back to Russia the portion Of
Ressarabia coded to Rumania after the Crmean
War. Bismarck could not have done more use
ful thing than to help along that. cession. under
cover. since it definitely alienated Rumania and
Russia Bucharest found its natural alliances
thereafter in Berlin, Vienna and Rome, and Ru-
mania was counted as a permanent satellite of the
Triple Alliance.
d;rIo Uhic e1ccpedpd RiSma rck :
changed all that 1t repealed instead Of conciliat-
ing. and in futile attempt to sggrandize Austria
Hungary and TO play off Turkey against the Balkan
States as well es against Russia, it finally sacri-
feed tbe friendship Of both Rumania and Italy
Turkey collapsed in the war with the Balkan
League in spite Of the tutelage given to the Turks
by Field Marsha Baron Won der Colt and the
other German military instructors. That left Ger
many with no ally of value in Central and South
ern Europe but Austria Hungary, for whose direct
benefit in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she broke the
Treaty of Berlin. and in seconding whose reckless
attack on Servia she brought on the present Euro
pean catastrophe.
Rumania had just grievance against German
Austro Hungarian diplomacy in the Balkans, and
acted on it when she entered last year into an
alliance with Servia, Greece and Montenegro Her
poitical interests coincide with those of the Balkan
states and Of Italy, and are in conflict with those
of Germany and Austria Hungary. Furthermore,
she has to listen to the appeal OF the oppressed
Rurnanians in Pennsylvania. They had been try
ing for some time TO secure faircr treatment
through the diplomatic Intervention Of Rumania
NJ vienna. But that Intervention failed, and the
prcsent is no time TO renew it, Russia offers TO
sanction the annexation by Rumana Of Runanian
Transylvania if the government at Bucharest will
90 TO war with Austria Hungary Passiyty now
will naturally prejudice any possible claims for
recognition AT the end of the war.
The new sovereign of Rumania is therefore con
frontcd with decision which must make his reign
or mar IT, If he follows his unce's example h.
will elect TO he mere obstruction TO the national
aspirations Of his people If he alisns himself
with popular sentiment and braves the risks Of
war. he may 90 down 10 history as the creator Of
new and greater Rumana. The one way lie