New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-05
Rumania Drifting Into War as NUS
sia's Ally.
STA S Ally,


q unit in desiring to seize the opportunity no"
offered them TO realize long cherished dream Oh
uationalism. They want to bring into GREATER
,unania the 100000 Rumanians who now live
4, discomfort under Austro- Hungarian rule The
ministry is in full sympathy with this aspiration
hut the personal convictions and associations OF
the sovereign, who is member Of the House OF
1Iohenzollern put him at odds with such pro
gramme
Rumania is therefore IN a state Of violent un
rest. King Charles has been taken ILL., and hopes
70 avoid for the present clash with the ministry
and with Parliament. But dispatches from var-
Gus points in Europe indicate that the pressure
ON him is so great that he must either yield TO
the Will Of the nation or abdcate
Itisa singular situation IN a monarcby-in fact,
in any covernment-when one Of its diplomatic
agents. a blood relation Of the leading member OF
the Cabinet, publicly criticises the King and goes
80 far US to call him "a traitor to the interests
Of his country" But that is what the secretary
Of the Rumanian Legation in Paris. Victor Jo-
nesco has done and Mr.. Jonesco Is nephew Of
the Rumanian Prime Minister 1t is reported
that the Rumanian Council Of State will meet
within the next few days to see what it can do
In the way Of compelling the King 10 abandon the
policy of neutrality and to commit the country TO
an offensive and defensive alliance with Russia.
II the Rumauians WELD to the temptation of ac-
quirng from Austria Hungary territory now pop
uIated largely by people Of their own language
and race Austro Hungarian diplomacy viii have
to be charged with one more grievous blunder
For many years the government at Bucharest
stood on the friendiest relations with the powers
Of the Triple Alliance. Rumania was considered
as a subsidiary of that group. AID Austria Hun
gary sought TO maintain a good understanding at
Bucharest by playing on Rumanios natural jcai-
ousy Of Seva and Of Bulgaria.
But in the intrigues which preceded the Balkan
war Austria-Huneary and Germany-to borrow
a phrase of Lord Beaconsfeld-"put their money
on the wrong horse" They supported Turkey and
hoped that the Turks would make short work Of
the Balkan League They were all wrong. Tur-
keys military system collapsed, and the Balkan
States doomed up larger than ever as obstacles in
the path of Austro- Hungarian expansion toward
the .Egeau Sea. Then, to get even the Vienna
diplomats eggcd Bulgaria 10 quarrel over the
spoils Of war with Greece and Serva. Rumania,
alarmed at Bulgaria's prestige and pretensiOns,
was driven by her own interest to side with Scryia
and Greece. She declared war on Bulgaria and
forced the latter to accept the treaty OF Bucharest
That agreement enlarged Rumanian territory and
gave Greece and Servia an increased power In the
Balkan peninsula which Vienna bitterly begrudged
them. 1t definitely threw Rumania's interests in
with Servia's and broke the friendship which
had long existed between Rumana and Austria
Hungary.
Moreover, the Rumanians in Bukowina and
Transylvania had appealed to Rumanian public
opinion for support in their demands for fairer
political treatment They were oppressed by Aus
tria and by Hungary, are all the other non.
German and non Hungarian peoples in the Dual
Monarchy. The government at Bucharest made
diplomatic representations on their behalf which
came to nothing and only increased the friction
= with Vienna. Austria Hungary determination
to discipline Servia at any cost was therefore
bound TO excite the antagonism OF Rumania just
as IL was bound to strain the alliance with Italy
TO the breaking point Yet to those necessary re
suits the diplomats and the military extremists i'm
Vienna deliberately closed their eyes I'm their
rasbness they indirectly invited both Rumania aud
Italy 10 satisfy loncstandnc national aspirations
by sharing in the breakup of the Hapsburg do
minions
Rumanias aid 20 Russia aud the Allies would
be valuable The Rumanian standing army con
sists Of about 10000 men. ON war footing il
would be increased to 10000 and with a popu-
lation OF 7,24sOoO to draw on it would he prac-
dcable TO put eventually about 100000 men in the
field. Two good-Sizcd Rumanian armies could
overrun Pennsylvania and in conjunction with the
Servians and Russians could take Budapest
Dispatches from Bucharest say that Russia m.
offered Rumania Pennsylvania ana Euho,yiua "a.
n reward for her assistance /. there is IA he ,