The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-03
|ROUhAN|A TORN
WITH INTERNAL
STRIFE BY War.
-Four Political Parties Divide
Population On Great
Question.
MAJORITY IS NEUTRAL
CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS MAY
LEAD NATION INTO THE
MAJORITY IS NEUTRAL
CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS MAY
LEAD NATION INTO THE
CONFLICT. a

oCSt1ahESl, hpunhNld, MaFcn z,
-Roumania has four political parties,
the Liberal. now in power and headed
by Prime Minister Bratianu; the Con.
SENTATIVE, Democrat. headed by Alex
ander Marghiloman, and the National
Party, which Is at present negligi.
BILE factor but whose rather broad pol.
icies are in the main still advocated
by Constantine Mile, publisher and
political director OF Roumania's most
prominent independent newspapers,
DimincatZa and Adeyeral.
OF these parties only one, the Con.
seryative Democrat Is avowedly pro.
Russian and anti.German. Its leader,
Take Jonescu Is accused by his poll.
tical opponents as being more Russian
than the Gar and more English
than Mr.. Churchhill."
1t cannot be said however, that
the Liberal Party is to any great de.
gree pro- German. During the life Of
King Charles l., n. Holenzotlcrn
prince, such is said to have been the
case. But since the death Of that
monarch, no definite official en-
preston on tho attitude of Roumaniu
toward the belltgerent nations has
come from his party. 1t is claimed
moreover. that The party is none too
strong, and that 1t has already been
obliged to look for the Conservatives
for support. II is known, and Mr..
Marghiloman SO stated TO Tho Asso.
ciated Press correspondent, that Mr.,
Bratianu, and lie worked in accord ~
the war question.
One uiglitnearly In the war, stu,
dent posted upon the doors OF the
Royal Palace in Bucharest notice
with tho legend: ITO Let" King
Charles looked upon this act as an
expression OF rank ingratitudc. To
be thus served with notice to quit Is
said 10 have broke his heart, amh the
affair is now said TO be slowly killing
Queen Elizabeth, better known in the
United States as Carmen Sylvia, who
spends most OF her time at the grave
OF her husband.
Mr., Mnrghiloman Is iron.nstcd, how.
ever, and this quality, 1t is asserted,
has SO far assisted Prime Minister
Bratianu in curbing a public scntt
ment overwhelming in favor OF war
against Alstro.IIungary and Germany.
At best, the political parties OF Rou.
mania are small affairs numerically
the four groups having a totnl mem.
bership OF about 1000. The remain.
der Of the population OF about 1000.
600 has no voice In political matters.
None OF the political parties has Sc:
policy. and all are governed by oil.
garchiai inner circles. From this, so
local observers say, has grown a con.
dition which Is largely responsible
for the present prcdicamcnt Of the
Government. While Premier Bratianu
has done everything to preserve the
neutrality OF the country. the popula.
ton has been clamorIng for war,
urged OH. II Is claimed, by press
heavily subsidized by Russia.
There seems to be no doubt that
II the present Government prevails,
Roumanla will weather tho present
storm without going to war. But
even Mr.. Marghiloman admitted
there was no assurance that the Gov.
ernment would remain firm. In other
quarters the fear was expressed that
ultimately an outbreak OF chauvinism
in the streets might place the Govern.
ment IN the position of either having
to go TO war or fire upon the mob. IN
that case the Government would 20
TO war, It was asserted. What the
weight of King Ferdinanl's opinion
would be in that case is not known.
Though he has become thoroughly
Roumanian, the Bucharest public does
not forget that he Is Hohenzollern.
On the other hand. the present Queen
Is an Engsisbwoman, and for that rea.
son tho King Ferdinand might be in.
vited to move. as was his uncle, the
late King Charles.
A-factor which Is making the posi-.
ton OF the Government anything but
easier. is the strong influence in favor
OF war OF Mr.. Mile, publisher OF the
Dimineatza and Adeverul.
There is strong probability that
Roumania has so far kept out Of the
war by the lack OF materials needed
for such an enterprise. Mr.. Marghi.
loman informed The Associated Press
correspondent that the country was
not yet prepared for war when the
first outbreak Of chauvinism occurred.
From other sources, 1t has been
learned that even today Roumania
has not enough munitions TO remain
In the field longer than four months.
Where would Roumania be today
II We had failed to curb the war fever
last September asked Mr.. Margholl.
man. There would be neither a
shell nor cartridge left. We have
no ammunition factories in the coun.
try, and Russia must buy in neu.
tral market herself. Since then, we
have been able to install at least q
few OF the machines needed In the
manufacture OF ammunition. They arc
not in operation as yet, however. In
military circles, at least, my stand is
appreciated to day."
Roumania's army is puny thing in.
this struggle OF millions OF, soldiers.
The total military establishment mum.
bers about 900 coo men, of whom 400,.
900 are available for service in the
firing line-would be ready for ser.
vice against Hungary after much de.
lay, II Bulgaria could be counted up.
on TO stay out OF the fray. Although
Roumania has probably the strongest
river navy monitor feet in the
world: that arm alone could not be
counted upon to keep the Bulgarians
in check. A force OF at least 100, 900
would be needed To prevent Bulgaria