The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-08-29
ID UMANIA HAS
N EXCELLENT ARMY

Rumania, with a population of ap.
proximately 100000 people, is entirely
agricultural in character, the country
consisting for the most part of the
wide, flowing stretches something like
the American. plains.
The government, under the old King
Charles, or Carol, uncle of the present
ruler, introduced universal military
service, in part with the idea of the
Germans, that il might build up ma
tiOnal manufactures, but in this it fail.
ed. The development of the army,
however, was rapid, the Rumanian peas
ant taking to military work, not so
much because he liked it as because he
wished to serve his country, for he is
intensely patriotic.
All young men between nineteen and
twenty-one years, unless incapacitated
physically, are required to receive pre-
liminary military training in the schools
and colleges. At twenty one they are
required to enter the infantry, where
they are drilled for two years, after
which they put in three years in the
other branches Of the service. They are
then listed in the first line of the re-
| serves.
Standing Army 100000 Men
| Recent figures gave the strength of
the standing army Of Rumania at ap-
proximately 100000 men, armed with
the Mannlicher rife, and her war
strength is put by those familiar with
conditions at approximately three times
that figure.
The army has long been the pride of
II N nnNr nj a.. AAl l..
built up until it 10 regarded as remark.
ably high. The artillery is especially
good, having been modelled after the
French, although the general military
system adopted by the country, is based
upon the German.
| / Because of her immense grain re-
serves, and her potential crops, as well
as for her military strength, which
because of her central position, is large,
Rumania has been the vortex of a
whirlpool of diplomatic intrigue ever
since the outbreak of the European
war All of the warning powers have
had agents open and agents secret at
/ work in Busharest in the interest of
their respective governments.
Teutons Welded Strong influence
/
exert an enormous influence in the
councils of the"httle kingdom, which is
about the combined size of Massachu
setts and New York. This was due in
part; to the proximity of Austria and
the alluring Austrian capital, but more
because of the fact that practically the
entire public debt of the country is in
the hands of Berlin fnanciers. Incl
dentally, the Ruma MAN, has been in the
habit Of importing approximately $35,
100000 worth of goods from Germany
although exporting to Germany about
$5y000,OOO.
Rumania, however, has been frankly
waiting to see which of the warning
sides seemed most likely to win in the
great war now raging in Europe. Rus
STA made large promises. In some
quarters it was declared that Russia
has promised Rumania a large slice OF
the TranSylvania provinces Of Austria
including the provinces of Hermann
stadt and Kronstadt, as well as por
ton of the Austrian crown lMpd OF
Bukowina.
Part Of Bulgaria Included
1t is also asserted that the Entente
after the action of Bulgaria in align
ing herself with Turkey and Austria
promised that a section of that state
should be added to the boundaries Of
Rumania. These promises had thei,
effect, but the repulse of the Russian
from the peaks of the Carpathians 1
year ago gave pause to the RumaniaI
government, and Rumania continued t.
remain neutral.
The sweep of the Germans and Aus
TRANS through Serbia-and many mill
tai " authorities have declared that on,
of the chief reasons for this campaign
was the desire of Vienna and Berlin t.
convince Bucharest that the Contra
Powers were certain to win, and 5,
turn the scale in their own favor anc
secure for themselves the immens
granary which is Rumania-als
caused King Ferdinand and his cOun
sellers to pause before committing
themselves to one cause or the other.
In the meantime the Allies were con
tinung their work in the capital
eountering with pledges of one sort o
another the activities Of the Teutoni
agents. They have at last succeeded.