New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-05

BLACK SeA lTOnI, over 10 tHe hulnanldnS'
end let them thus extend their territory 10
the very environs Of Odessa? This still
seems unlikely. But the Rumanians, hav-
ing been promised Bessarabia by the Ger
mans If the Central Powers succeed. may
well insist.
A Cold. Blooded Game.
1t Is an exceedingly cold-jlooded game
that the Rumanians are playing, but it is
their right to play such a game. They
have been betrayed both by the Russians
and the Central Powers in the past. Their
contribution TO Russian success In the for
rler Turkish war was rewarded by the
stealing Of their fertile province. Their
fidelity to the Triple Alliance for almost
generation was recompensed by the sacri-
fee Of th,ir aspirations and even their
safety, when the Central Powers needed to
meet Bulgarian aspirations and thus break
Up the Balkan Alliance.
Nor should IL be overlooked that Ru-
mania might easily bring the decisive con
tribution to the present war. no. alone
would her army Of 100000 men, admirably
equipped and well disciplined, turn the
tide in the Balkans, but Rumanian inter
vention would compel the retreat of the
Central Powers to the Carpathians and
the San River, il would imperil the whole
German line in Western Russia, and it
right be the signal for revolt among the
several millions Of Rumanians In Austria
Hungary, who have long looked forward to
a reunion with their free brothers.
The Battle Royal.
At Bucharest there is being fought a
battle royal, with the King, the court, the
financial forces and the upper classes
largely aligned with the Central Powers.
On the other side are the mass Of the PEG
pie and the few patriots like NJ. Take
Jonescu, who dream Of greater Rumania
as Venizelos and his followers dream of a
restored Hellenic world.
In Rumania, as in Greece, the real ad-
vantage lies with the Allies, so far as ma
tional interest is concerned, for the great
prizes are TO be obtained only if the Gen.
trail Powers are defeated. But the court
influences have so far prevailed because
there exists In Bucharest, as in Athens, a
profound conviction that the Central Pow
ers, that Germany, will win. Ferdinand,
like Constantine, is impressed with Ger
man military strength, and Ferdinand be-
longs TO the House of Hohenzollern, while
Constantine has merely married daugh-
ter of this family.
Like Greece, Rumania is prepared TO
rush 10 the succor Of the victor" in ne
present war. Like Greece, Rumanis is
still divided in its views as TO which force
will prove the victor. Like the Greeks,
the Rumanians, as people, are profound
ly sympathetic with the Allies, and a.
a rule hostile to Germany and to Austria.
Like the Greeks, they hate and fear the
Bulgars, having joined the Greeks in plum
dering Bulgaria. 1t is exceedingly doubt
full whether the Crown possesses influence
enough to throw the Rumanian army TO
the Central Powers. King Charles desired
to do this, and was forced by his ministers
to abandon the project to keep his throne.
SO the deadlock in Rumania, as in Greece,
has been maintained, on the whole, to the
advantage Of the Central Powers.
But in estimating the future course Of
Rumania it is well TO keep In mind the
great dream of Bucharest-the hope Of
restored Roman Empire in the Transyl-
vania Alps and along the Danube and the
Dniester, the aspiration for a Rumanian
risorgimento, and new Latin state but
little smaller than modern Italy in area
and possessing regions far more fertile
than any in the Italian peninsula. To tho
realization of this dream the downfall OF
the Hapsburg Empire is the prime neces-
sity. II the Central Powers win It can
rever be realized. But always Rumania
has to consider the possibility Of waiting
too long and receiving nothing when Eu-
rope at last decides on peace.