The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-08
$4,000 Men IN
ROUMANIA'S ARMY
Becomes Fourteenth Nation to
Enter European Struggle.
POPULATION OF 100000

POPULATION OF $500, 600
National Aspirations Said to Have
Prompted Action - Russian Troops
May Cross Her Soil to Attack Austria
and Turkey-Many Influences Have
Been at Work.
Roumania becomes the fourteenth
nation to join In the war. Her inter
vention has been awaited with symp-
toms of concern by both the entente
allies and the central powers since the
beginning Of the conflict, due not
alone to Roumanias military strength.
but also to the strategic advantages OF
her geographical position and the fact
that her entry ino the struggle opens
to the Russian army gateway through
to Roumania to attack the Bulgarians
from the north, while the allied army
having its base at Saloniki attacks
them and their German allies from
| the south.
Roumania has population Of $780,.
900, and her army has been estimated
at $4,000. 1t has been described as
| one of the most thoroughly equipped
and disciplined armies in Europe, but
recent information from Bucharest
has thrown some doubt upon its quail
ity. Lately 1t has been stated that Rou-
manian officers are Ill trained and un-
disciplined, that 1t has no heavy artil-
lery and that its flying service is in
| ferior. Some advocates Of Roumania's
participation in the war have asserted
that she could mobilize as many as
1000 900 men. The mobilization Of the
army has been in progress for months,
and few days ago was reported to be
complete
To Satisfy Aspirations.
The motive which prompts Roumania
to enter the war Is the satisfaction Of
her national ASPIRATIONS" described
by Take Jonescu, the Roumanian Lib
eral leader, as the "policy of national
instinct" In the southern half of Bu-
kowina, the Austrian crown land, the
Roumanians are the dominant race.
The mass of the people Of eastern
Transylvania, a part of Hungary, is
Romanian by race and language. 1t
is said 100000 Roumanians live In
Transylvania. Roumania has been
credited with a long cherished ambi-
ton to annex these provinces and at
the same time "liberate' the Rouma-
nlans now under Austrian domination.
Recently 1t was reported Russia had
offered Czernowltz to Roumania as a
reward If she would unite with the en-
tente.
Roumanla also covets Bessarabia, the
extreme southwestern province of Rus
sia, on the Black sea, which was taken
from her by the Berlin treaty of 1878.
Reports have stated that Russia also
has consented to restore Bessarabia as
war prize, With its population of
2,000,000, mostly Roumanians, and an
area of 10000 square miles. This, with
Transylvanla would give Roumania a
total population approaching 100000
and should all her aspirations be salts
ied a territory as great In area as that
OF England, Scotland and Wales.
In what direction Roumania's first
) blow may be aimed Is only indicated
by her desire to pour her troops
{ through the passes of the Transylva.
, nian Alps and the Carpathlans into
, Transylvanla. On the other hand
Austria has been accommodating mill
tary forces at Orsota, prepared to at
: tempt to force the Iron gates" where
! the Danube river touches the western
r RoumaIian border. Bulgaria is said tC
have stationed 100000 or more troops
along the southern bank of the Danube
to protect her northarn frontier from Q
!, Roumanlan invasion.
Apprehension I'm Germany that Rou
u mania intends to permit a Russian
y army to march through her territory t,
o attack the Bulgarihns has been appar
o ent for some time Military authoritie
6 In Budapest assert that the chief fac
# tor for the consideration of the centra
:. powers is NOT the half a million o
more men of the Roumanian army, bu
:, the opportunity offered for new Rus
sian invasion Of Hungary. Roumanial
IS sympathiaers In Pennsylvania hav
IS been sent to other sections, and tn
" Roumanian priests and churches ther
C. have been kept under military super
vision, The Transylvanian-Rou
frontier defenders have been strength
ened by AUSTRIA as precautio
= against Roumanihn invasion.
n Powerful influences ON the part {
- most of the central powers and tn
20 entente allies have been exerted
~ Bucharest to Influence her decision
IN the war for the past two years. r.
- . Gently reports from the Roumania
~ capital have steted that Roumani
=" awaited only the beginning of Il
- Anglo-Frcuch offensive III Macedoni
~ ~ before joining her fortunes with tho'
- Of the entente allies. Another reaso
- for delay, 1t is said. has been lack
ammunition, which now has been r
lieved by large supplies coming fro