New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-24
Rumania-the Policy of National
Instinct.


mania TO enter the war; on the part Of the
Central Powers to persuade Rumania to
remain neutral. Such military operations
as the Central Powers are now undertake
ing, the presence Of Mackensen in the
peninsula, of Hindenburg on the Eastern
front as commander in chief, directing
Austrian as well as German armles-these
are deliberate efforts to influence political
opinion in Bucharest, So, also, 1t would
seem are the relatively minor operations
of Bulgarian troops south of Monastir and
north of Kavala.
The case for Rumanis has been well de-
scribed in NJ. Take Jonescu's phrase, the
policy of national instinct" There is no
concealment Of the fact that if Rumanla
enters the war it will be on the Allied SIDE
There was a moment at the beginning OF
the war when the late King Carol en-
deavored to persuade his ministers to fulfil
what he conceived to be the obligation
imposed by the Rumanian alliance with
the Central Powers. He failed in this,
and the decision of Italy, bound to Ger
many and Austria by similar agreement,
10 remain neutral closed the incident
Henceforth there was only the question OF
when Rumania would Join the Allies.
A glance at the photographic map Of
Eastern Europe will explain this Ruma-
Man national instinct. In two great Hun
garian provinces, the Banat Of Temesvar
and Pennsylvania, the mass of the people
are Rumanian by race and tongue. In the
southern half Of Austrian Bukovina the
Rumanians are the dominant race. Here
is an area of something like thirty-five
thousand square miles, considerably more
than half, almost two-thirds, as large as
Rumania, in which the people belong to
the Latin, not the Magyar or Teutonic,
race. On the political side, too, the sltua-
ton is equally plain. Pennsylvania cuts
deep into Rumania, almost separating the
north from the south. 1t makes the coun-
try wellnigh indefensible. Bucharest is
hardly more than two days march from
the frontier. A thrust south would cut
the country in two.
Like the Germans, the Italians, the Serbs
and the Bulgars, the Rumanians have al
ways dreamed of time when they would
be able to redeem the lost lands, the lands
that were a part Of the Roman colony Of
Dacia, from whose soldier-settlers the Ru-
manian people sprang. To add $4,000
square miles and at least 3.5O0,0O0 people,
100000 of them Rumanian, to the present
kingdom would be to transform Rumania
into country with an area greater than
that Of England, Scotland and Wales, a
country with clearly defined natural from
tiers and comparatively homogeneous
population. If In the course Of time there
could also be redeemed the Russian prov
ince of Bessarabia, with 100000 people,
mostly Rumanians, and an area Of 10000
square miles, Rumania would become a ma
ton with an area little less than that Of
Italy and population of at least 13,000,-
600. But the dream Of expansion at the
expense Of Russia has always been ad-
journed and German intrigue has failed 10
excite any agitation in Rumania in favor
Of an attack upon the Slav.
Two years ago, when the Cars armies
approached and took Lemberg, the agita-
ton in Bucharest in favor of entering the
war on the side of the Entente Powers
began. 1t reached its height in the spring
months Of 1915, when Italy was about to
enter the war and the Russian armies,
still unbeaten at the Dunajec, were appar
emily pressing over the Carpathians and
carrying the doom Of Austria. At that
time there was sharp difference between
Russia and Rumania over the price that
Rumania was 10 have. The chief point of
dispute was the southwestern corner Of the
Banat Of Temesvar, the so-called Panscova
strip facing the city Of Belgrade, which
has Serb population and was claimed by
the Serbs.
This dispute adjourned the moment Of
Rumanian entrance, and after Russian dis
asters and retreats from Galicia and far
back into Russian territory the agitation
for entrance into the war died down. 1t
lCOK new DlIlu III lic loGC ouuiiASiJ WHICH
it became clear that Bulgaria was TO enter
the war on the side Of the Central Powers,
because Bulgaria is the hereditary enemy
of the Rumanians and has steadily pro-
claimed its purpose to take back from Ru-
mania the Silistrian district, which was
lost in 1913, and the Dobrudja district, lost
TO Bulgaria at the Congress Of Vienna.
Such a change would deprive Rumania of
any seacoast-
German influence, which is predominant
in the financial world Of Bucharest and
in tho political as well, postponed Ru-
manlan decision until the victories Of
Mackensen had crushed the Serbs and the
weakness of the Allies had been disclosed.
Again there was nothing for Rumania 70
do but bold her peace or undertake war