Evening star., 1915-12-05

:
tria and a narrow strip between the
Danube and the Black sea, which would
insure the protection of the railroad
line from Bucharest to the sea. This
request for Compensation was based
upon the fact that Rumania had held
her hand and refrained from interven-
ton on behalf of Turkey when inter-
yention would have spelled Bulgar de-
feat. Bulgaria declined. and Bulgarian
refusal was encouraged at Vienna and
Berlin, where statesmen were buslly at
work endeavoring to influence Bulgaria
in such fashion 8 to break up the
Balkan alliance.
This Balkan alliance had been made
in Russia. If it endured it was bound
to be controlled by Russia and to be-
come a grave menace to the safety of
the triple alliance and the integrity of
Austria. In this situation Vienna egged
Bulgaria into the second Balkan war.
But the result was unexpected. Ru-
terests were being sacrificed by Aus
trian and German diplomacy. boldly
changed sides, received Russian IN
dorsement for her mobilization, and
moment when Bulgaria was opening
her campaign against Greece and Ser
bia.
Thanks to Rumanian intervention.
Bulgaria was defeated, and at Buch
Arrest there was signed a treaty which
destroyed for the moment the Bull
garian dream of dominating the Bal
kans and becoming the Prussia of the
near east. For her own reward Ru
mania took. not Silistria but wide
strip from the Danube to the Black
sea, containing population of 100000,
chiefly Bulgar, and some of the best
agricultural land of Bulgaria. Thus
Rumania utterly defeated Austro-
gree escaped from Teutonic influence
and returned to a Russian alignment.
But by acquiring Bulgarian territory
she exposed herself to attack by Bull
garia whenever this state should re-
gain her power to strike. Just as
Germany, by taking Alsace-Lorraine,
insured lasting French hatred and fu-
ture French attack. Rumania had in
yjted Bulgarian revanche and made
Bulgaria's friends her enemies.
The Great War.
After the treaty of Bucharest, which
restored Rumania to the leading posi-
ton in the Balkans, Rumania. Greece
and Serbia signed treaty of alliance
which bound all three to act against
Bulgaria should this state attempt to
reopen the settlement made at the Ru-
manian capital and regain lost prov
inces- This treaty Serbia invoked
few weeks ago. unsuccessfully. Greece
and Rumania pleading that in was
treaty binding them to support Serbia
against Bulgaria, not against the CEN
tral European powers.
But the subsequent success of Bull
garia, in alliance with the central pow
ers. has again raised the question of
national safety at Bucharest. AS it
now stands, Bulgaria seems likely to
regain all she lost at Bucharest, save
only the Rumanian acquisitions, and
presently attack Rumania It is this
danger which today influences Ru-
manian patriots, together with the fact
that the realization of their great
dream will be utterly impossible if
the central powers win, and that from
the great war they will emerge. not
increased, but possibly diminished by
the loss of the Dobrudja
Mess the central powers are de-
leated a bulgaria will keep Macedonia
Ihrace from the Turks in return for
Turkish acquisitions in Egypt promised
by Germany. She. may stretch her
frontiers west to the Adriatic through
sea at Durazzo. Thus increased, Bull
1aria viii presently develop into the
leading Balkan state, and in her own
time can hope to acquire Saloniki, as
well as kavala and Dmara. she may
even dream of possessing herself Of
Constantinople. as Car Ferdinand
planned three years ago
Two questions. then-one of safety
and influence in the Balkans. the other
of realizing racial ambitions
pressing the Rumanians toward the al
lied camp. 1t remains now to discuss
these Rumanfan ambitions.
Greater Rumania.
As at present constituted Rumania is
Kingdom with an area OF some 1000
square miles. about the size OF New
YORK ard Connecticut. and popuIa-
,ion of little more than 100000,
largely homogeneous. 1t Is made up
OF three provinces of Wallachia, Mol
davia and Dobrudja, once portions of
the Turkish empire
But north. west and east are prov
lnces OF Austria and Russia which
contain several millions of Rumanians.
This Rumanian race traces it's origin
to the Latin soldiers and colonists sent
| to- Dacia by the Roman Emperor Ira
jan, and today the descendants of these
Romans are to be found in the banat
OF Temesvar and the province of Tran
| syivahia, In Hungary, in the southern
| haif OF the Austrian province OF Buko-
| wiha, and they supply two-thirds OF
| the population OF the Russian province
OF Bessarabia. the southwestern portion
| Of which was once Rumanian and was
| Berlin.
lying Rumanian lost provinces is as
follows Transylvania. $500. 900, Of
which 100000 Rumanian. Temesvar.
| 100000. of which 100000 RumanIan
Bukovina. $4,000. Of which $50, 900
| Rumanian: Bessarabia, $500, 900 of
which l.750,o0o Rumanian. The area
of these provinces Is: Temesvar, IL 900
square miles: Transylvania, $1,000;
Bukoyina. 5000; Bessarabia, 1900,
In all these provinces. too. the balance
OF the population non -Rumanian be-
longs 10 several races: thus there are
many Hungarians. many Germans and
some Serbs in Temesyar; Germans and
fHungarians In Transylvania. Slavs in
sukovina and Turks and slavs in Bes-
sarabia.
1 CouJd the Rup,anians raaifxa .ha;.,