The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-15
lEr NISSAN SUCCESS
WOULD Put RUnAIIA IN
Buclaaeens Center Of Plots ana Coun-
t1-flots in Which An Arc
Taking Hand.
BY WILLIAM BAYARD HALE.
(Sta6 Correspondent of the Intcrna.
finnal Nervs Gepvfrx4

(Stan Correspondent OF the lntcrno.
tional News Service.)
Bucharest. via Copenhagen. Aug.
14.--If all the elements OF intrigue
contrived at by Anthony Hope, Phil
fps Oppenheim. Barr McCutcheon ana
the Baroness Orczy were combined
into one glowing chapter Of romance,
II would not compare with the reality
to be found in this Balkan capital.
Secret agent, diplomatic conspiea-
tor, plotting minister, religious xeaiot
endangered by a crowd Of beautiful
women, gltttering uniforms and melt
Ing music--these are the mn;pres4nt
features OF life here at this entertain
ing hour.
But this time gathers not merely
seriousness, but orld-importance
from the fact that the decision OF
Roumania to join or abstain from her
part In the great war may prolong
the terrific struggle or influence its
early end,
Drama of Historic Import.
1t Is therefore no operate comedy
but drama OF real and of serious
import for history that Ii enacting
today between the Carpathians and
the Black Sea-
The scenes are laid frst in Buchar-
est. half Oriental city of wonderful
fascination. staring stucco walls, re-
lieved by gardens OF sycamore. acacia.
and olive. swarming peddlers with
astrakan turbans, crying out their
wares or asleep among the melons and
plums Every corner Is ablaze by day
with gaudy asters and iris, throbbing
all night with gypsy music.
The scene shifts to Sinai, summer
residence of the Court, at the foot
OF the Transylvanian Alps. where
r,lN IL S~IA q
the firs below the crag castled by the
royal palace and sanctified by Greek
monastery, and plan their games of
high politics. to say nothing OF the
games of fortune and love being
played in the great hall terraces be-
low.
The chief figures in the drama ere
the king. the prime minister, some
four or five political leaders and the
Russian, French and German minis
tiers.
King Fsedinnnd. lately 4escendea TO
the throne, succeeding his uncle AZ
ter long reign of a wise and much
beloved sovereign. Inheriting the
problem of his nations attitude in
| this war, Ferdinand has not yet as
serted himself. and II Is not yet pos
| sible to draw his character In strong
outlines.
| His consort, the most beautiful
queen in Europe in many generations.
Is the daughter of an Englishman and
Russian woman.
Romantic temperament and femi-
nine loneliness have never been more
adequately combined for O striking
part in history. Nevertheless. while
has no star part in the play.
The nrNSidHnt Of the Council nj
Ministers, Jonel Bratianu. 10 cast for
hero. but. Is as yet not playing a
heroic part. 1t Is not heroic to sit
on a fence and Bratianu has taken
that undigniied attitude for two
years. Son OF the statesman who had
large part in guiding the destinies
OF his country since 1866. when Prince
Karl Won Hohenzollern- Sigmaringen
came to rule II. through 1877, when
Rumania declared her independence
| from Turkey to 1881 when she erect
ed kingdom--the younger Bratianu
! GhArishfs the ,ykaps, .ta nrnssxs s.4ss1
/ his country's expansion into a first-
/ class power.
i In international politics his position
Is unassailable. Curiously enough his
power and that OF his party (Lberal)
rests largely upon the operations OF
three banks owned by himself and
two brothers. In foreign politics he
is shrewd and successful in employing
methods purely oriental For the
great part his history seems to lack
audacity. Discretion is his watch
word. He weighs, considers and re.
fleets, with Hamlet like anxiety.
The dashing figures in the drama
are Take Jonescu and Nicholas
F1lipescu. Rumanian intrigue would
be nothing without these picturesque
names which do not fit with scenery
like the gypsy music. cassocked whip,
drosky drivers and their spanking
teams and throngs OF smartly shod
and highly do1led ladies. doubly the
atrical after Germany. where now
adays there's not so much as a PEN
ciled e-brow.
Take Jonescu Is the sired war
dragon of Rumania, An adroit and
interchangeable advocate, devoid Of con.
science and not burdened by prin-
fciples. his conversion to a pro-entente
position was followed by a visit to
England HIS IL gift of invective. q
July lawyers insight into popular