Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-28
Vital Phase of Great Euro
pean Contest Shifts to
Balkan Front.
GERMANY SEES PERIL
Entrance of Rumania Into
Conflict Opens Gateway
for Russ Invasion. =

Berlin, Aug. 2s. (vla London.
7:O5 y. M Germany has de-
clared war on Rumania.
Berlin, Aug. -, (Via London,
1:45 y. M Rumania declared
war on Austria Hungary on Sun
day evening, ii Is announced Offic-
Tally here.
The announcement follows; "The
RumaniaD government yesterday
evening declared war on Austria
Hungary.
EThe federal council has been
cOnyOked for an immediate sit
ting"
London, Aug. rs. (2:47 p. ny
Germany probably will declare
war on Rumania within ~ hours,
after which Turkey and Bulgaria
are expected to do likewise, ac-
cOrding to dispatch from The
Hague to the Exchange Tele-
graph company.
RUMANIANS TAKEN As PRIS-
ONERS.
Berlin, Aug. IS (yia London,
$3.50 p. m.)-Fighting has been be-
gun between Rumanian and Ten-
tonic troops on the Transylvanlan
of today indicates. The statement
says Rumanians have been taken
prisoners. The announcement says
the Rumanlans were captured on
the Transyl7anian frontier.
Paris, Aug. 2s, G2:4O p. m.)-Ru
mania's decision to enter the war wal
reached at a meeting of the crown
council held at Bucharest yesterday
says a Havas dispatch from
Geneva.
The Wolff agency announces thai
the German federal council was con-
voked Immediately after the decision
was made known.
Rumania is the fourteenth nation e
join in the war. Her Intervention
either on the side of the entente allies
or the central powers has been await.
ed with symptoms of concern by both
since the beginning of the great con.
hict. This is due not entirely TO Ru.
mania's military strength but also Il
the strategic advantages of her geo.
position and the fact thai
her entry into the struggle opens &c
the Russian army a gateway through
Rumania to attack the Bulgarians from
the north, while the allied army having
its base at Salonih attacks them and
their German allies from the south.
Nevertheless, Rumania's military
strength is by no means inconsiderable
The country has a population of $780,.
900 and her army has been estimated
at 100000. 1t often has been described
as one of the most thoroughly equip.
ped and disciplined armies in Europe
but recent information from Bucharest
has thrown some doubt upon its quail
lty. Later ii has been stated that Ru-
manian officers are ill-trained and I'M
that Rumania has no heavy
artillery and that its flying service Is
inferior. Some advocates of Rumania's
in the war have asserted
that she could mobilize as many as one
million men. The mobilization of the
army, in progress for months, was a
few days ago reported 10 be complete
Motive for War.
The motive which prompts Rumania
10 enter the war is the satisfaction OF
ler national aspirations" described
by Take Jonescu, the Rumanian liberal
leader, as the policy of national in
stinct." Concisely this means national
In the southern half oil
Bukowina the Austrian crownland, the
Rumanians are the dominant race. The
mass OF the people of eastern Transyl.
Eania, a part of Hungary, is Rumanian
by race and language. IL IS said .000,-
300 Rumanians live in Pennsylvania.
Rumania has been credited with a
long cherished ambition TO annex these
provinces, and at the same time lib
crate" the Rumanians now under Aus