The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-31
RoUMANIA's ARMY
Country Has 100000 Men Equipped
and Ready for Service.

Roumanias entrance into the war
places a thoroughly drilled and equip
ped army of nearly 100000 men along
side the allies.
OF the actual fighting value of the
modern Roumanian army nothing def
mite can yet be told, as it has never
been put to the test. During the two
recent Balkan wars Roumania of all
the Balkan states alone kept out of
the struggle.
The organization and equipment of
the Roumanian army has been praised
by many experts. Roumania's military
service is obligatory on all able-bodi.
ed men between 81 and 46 years of
age. This gives the country $4,000
new soldiers a year and enables Rou.
mania, out of population OF 100000
to muster an army of over half a mil
lion.
Although ROumanian youths liable
| for military service do not begin duty
until they are q years of age, as a
matter of fact they are at the disposal
of the minister of war after their 18th
year. They are obliged then to begin
both target practice and gymnmastic
exercise that will place them in eff
cient condition for service the mo-
ment they reach enrolment age. From
the time they are 10 until they are u,
they are obliged to participate in the
target and gymnastic drills every Sun
day from April to Nov. 30.
During the first several years of
military service the men belong to the
active army. They then pass TO the
reserves, where they serve for II
years, finally passing into the militia
for the remainder OF their term of SER
vice, until they are &c years of age.
The militia is supposed to be liable for
service only in maintaining the inter
nal order of the country and in guard.
ing railways during war times.
This organization gives Roumania a
total OF 250000 first line troops and
abuot 100000 reserves. The regular
permanent standing army consists of
5000 officers, 1000 military students,
100000 troops, $4,000 horses, GOO can
mons and 200 machine guns. Part of
the army has been modified for
some time near the Hungarian from
tie:.
In the southern half of Bukawina,
the Austrian crown land, the Rouman.
ians are the dominant race. The
mass of the people Of eastern Transyl
vania, part of Hungary, is Rouman-
ian by race and language. 1t is said.
100000 Roumanians live in Transyl-
vania.
Roulnania has been credited with a
long-cherished ambition to annex
these provinces and at the same tim9
'liberate' the Roumanians now under
Austrian domination Recently it was
reported Russia had offered Czerno.
WITT to Roumania If she would unite
with the entente.
Roumania also covets Bessarabia
the extreme southwestern province Of
Russia on the Black sea, which was
taken from her by the Berlin treaty
of 1878. Reports have stated that
| lAuEol dl6O HdH AOllotIAtu w ItHlUUt
Bessarabia as a war prize, with it,
population of 100000, mostly Rou,
Eanians. and in area of 10000 square
miles. This. with Transyivauia,
would give Roumauia a total popplal
ton of approaching 100000 AID,
should all her aspirations be satisiue,
"A territory as grea' In area as thaz oil
England, Scotland and Wales. 9J
Roumanid has a boz der as long as
TIC whole Russian western war front
on which to choose her point of mill.
, tary attack. In what direction her
first blow might be aimed is only ird
Gated by her desire to pour her troops
through the passes of the Tuapssl-
yania Alps and the Carpathians into
Pennsylvania. On the other band,
Austria has been accommodating mill
> tary forces at Orsova prepared 10 at
, tempt to force the Iron Gates where
the anube river touches the western
. Roumanian border Bulgaria Is said
to have stationed 100000 or more
: troops along the southern bank of
Y the Danube to protect her northern
? frontier from a Roumanian invasion.
Military authorities in Budapest as
n sert that the chief factor forSihe con.
! sideration of the central powers Is not
the half million or more men of the
Roumanian army but the opportunity
offered for new Russian INVASION OF
b Hungary. Roumanian sympaihizers in
4 Pennsylvania have been seit to other
\ sections and the RoumaniSn priests
4 and churches there vesboen KEPT
\ under military supervision. The
\ Transylvanian.Rou Frontier de
X fences have been strengthened by Aus
\ tria as precaution against Rouman
4 ian invasion.
II Powerful influences onIi he part o
n most of the central poSsrs and IN,
II entente allies have been exerted a
Bucharest to influence her decision II
the war for the past Two years, Re
Gently reports from the RoumaDar
II capital have stated nht Roumani,
I awaited only the Beginning OF the An
A glo.French offensive in Macedonia be
n fore joining her fortudfs with thos,
N of the entente allies.
Il Another reason for Delay In her de
II cision II is said. has ban lack OF am
munition, which now IA been relieve,
by large supplies coming from Japai
by the way OF Vladivebtok. according