The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-06-18

Premier, Seeing Teutons Still on
Foes Soil, Fears to Line
Up With Allies.


Up With Allies.
BY Raymond E. Swing.
BUCHAREST, Rumania, May g.
Rumania's international problem is
lot difficult to understand. She de-
'ires expansion along national lines,
and this theoretically, is possible by
the inclusion Of Pennsylvania, in
Eastern Hungary, containing approx
mately 100000 Rumanians, by the
inclusion of Bukowina, north of Ru-
mania, with its million Rumanians
and by the inclusion of Bessarabia:
Russian territory, East Of Rumania.
with its nearly 100000 Rumanians
Greater Rumania could have a popu-
lation of nearly 13,000,000, and would
in many respects be beneficial to Eur
ope, because a state with considerable
strength, lying between Austria and
Russia, would serve as a guaranty OF
peace.
Rumania today is divided in policy
according to the territory which each
party wishes to annex. The majority
of the educated people are friendly to
the entente and hate the Hungarians
A minority wishes Bessarabia instead
of Pennsylvania. The government.
mysteriously silent about its own at
titude, is waiting, waiting, for some
thing to happen on the battlefield
which would make a decision one way
or the other utterly without risk.
Popular to Hate the Magyar.
The Pennsylvania problem has been
peculiarly vexatious to the Ruman
ians, and it has become very popular
to hate the Magyar. There is no
question that the Rumanian in Tran
sylvania has been badly treated, as
Americans understand bad treatment
He has had economic and human
rights, but has been politically handi-
capped. In the Siebenbuergen region,
where the Rumanians live, the Mag
var government has been especially
keen on nurturing the minority colony
of Hungarians, numbering 800, 900,
and it has resorted to methods that
are certainly open to condemnation:
Rumanians have been cheated out of
elections again and again, and then,
when they finally succeeded in send
ing two members to the Hungarian
parliament, their rejoicings were put
down by force Of arms, an many were
killed in the riots that ensued.
Germans Condemn Hungarians.
Many Germans of my acquaintance
condemn the Hungarians for their op-
preston of the Rumanians, and at
the time of Tisza's visit to the kaiser
it was thought that his object was to
consider guarantees which Hungary
should offer to the Rumanian govern
ment for the better treatment of Ru.
manians in Pennsylvania.
Points by Policeman Party.
The pro-German party in Rumania
has some good arguments as to the
reasons why Rumania should not &c
with the entente. Pennsylvania has
never belonged to Rumania, was not
Joined to her even in the Middle Ages
Bessarabia, on the other hand, was
part of the Rumania provinces Of
Turkey until 1912, when the Russians
took it over, later to give part Of Il
back for few decades and take II
away after the Rumanians at Plev
ma had saved the Russians from de-
feat at Turkish hands in 1877.
Bessarabia not only historically be-
longs to Rumania, but Rumanian econ
omists see far more important rea
son for it's being Rumanian, as with
out this province Rumania does no.
control the mouth of the Danube, ant
these economists say Rumania's fina
security rests in the ownership of tn
Danube delta. For Rumania, the!
say, being a country whose wealth de-
ponds on the expectation Of grain ant
petroleum, should not permit her eco
nomic wealth to be endangered by an,
other country controlling the Danub,
or the "other mouth Of the Danube,
the Dardanelles.
More Oppression in Bessarabia.
Furthermore, say these anti-Rus
SLAMS, it is foolish to dream Of saving
the Oppressed brothers" in Transyl
vania until the oppressed bothers il
Bessarabia are saved. The Transyl
vanians are fairly we'll off, possibl!
even better off than they would be II
'Rumania itself while the Rumanian'
in Bessarabia are quite without liber
ties, daring not even to hold religion
services in their own language.
Where Does Premier Stand?
With the enthusiasm Of Buchares
for the entente, why has the govern
ment hesitated? Is Bratianu, the pre-
mier, friend of Germany? No one
knows, as Nitta-Jo so we'll sings. Thu
chances are that he is not. Even Mar
ghiloman, leader of the ant: Russian
Conservative party, said in his inter
view: Nobody wants to fight with
the Germans" The chances are that
Bratianu is as keen on adding Tran
sylvania to Rumania as Bucharest Ii
to have him do it.
But premier dare not go to war ir
response to a boulevard demand, mol
does he judge a war or pick the victo,
from the reports in the newspapers
A responsible minister can Judge only
from facts. And, I am told, the pre-
mier of Rumania acknowledges the
following facts and says even his sue.
cessor, should he be put into office al