Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-15
DRAMA BEING ENACTED
IN ROUMAN|A'S CAPITAL
King. Prime Minister md Political
Leaders Among Chief
Figures.
HISTORY MAY BE AFFECTED
Decision of Nation TO Enter Present
War. ur Abstain From II, Proba-
hIy viii Influence Result of the
Terrible Struggle.
II, WILLIAM n,,Anp m,,r:.

/ conlfiNcu by Anthony tlopc, 1'niIln
/ Oppenhcim. Barr McGutchnon and tho
, Baroness orczy were combined into one
! glowing chapter OF romance. il would
| not compare with the reality to be
/ found III this Balkan capital
i Secret agent. diplomatic conspirator.
plotting minister, religious zcalot. en-
| danEcrcd by a crowd of beautiful
| women. clittcrinS uniforms and melting
| musiC-thcSc are tho omniprcScnt fca =
lures Of life here at this entertaining
hour.
But this tim" gathers not merely
| seriousness. but world Importance from
the fact that the decision of Rou-
mania to join or abstain from her part
in the great war may prolonG tho
terrific struggle or influence its early
end.
1t is. therefore. no operate comedy.
but Il drama Of real and OF serious i'm =
por, for history. that is cnactinG to -da y
between the carpathians and the
Black Sea.
SCENES LAID FIRST
IN FASCINATING BuNIIAtE:ST
The scenes arc laid first in Bucharest.
n half-oricntal city OF wonderful
fnSc ination, sta.inS stucco walls. re-
!icvcd by gardens of sycamore. acacia
and olive. swarminE pcddlcrs with
astrakhan turbans. crying out their
wares or asleep among tho melons and
plums. Every corner is ablazc by day
with gaudy astcrs aud iris, throbbiu-
all night with gypsy music
The scene shifts to Sinaia. summer
residence of the court. at the foot of
the Transylvaniau Alps. where pl.ttcrs
walk dim plcaSances amid the irs be-
low the craG castled by the royal
palace and sanctincd by Greek mon
astcry, and plan their games * high
politics, 10 say nothing of the games
Of fortune and love being PLAYED IN the
great hall terraces below
The chief figures in the drama are
the King. the Prime Minister, some
four or five political leaders and the
Russian. French and German ministers.
King Ferdinand lately assembled 10
the throne. succeeding his uncle after
Il long reign OF wise and much
beloved sovereign. lnhcriting the
problem az his nations attitude III tins
war Ferdinand has not yct asserted
himself, and il is not yet possible TO
draw his character in strong outlines.
al Er:N is DAUGHTER
OF AN ENGI.IsHMAN
Queen in Europe in many generations
is the daughter OF an EnGlishman and
Russian woman. Romantic tempera-
m"nt and feminine loveiiness never
have been more adequately combined
for striking part in history. Never
theless, while queen Marie dccoratcs
the stage. she has no star part in The
play.
The president OF the Council Of Min
listers. Jonel Bratianu. is east for a
hero, but as yet is not playing a heroic
part II is not heroic TO SIT on q fence
and Bratianu has taken that uudigni-
fed attitude for TWO years. Son OF the
statesman VIII" had a large part in
guiding The dcstinics Of his country
since 1866. when Prince Karl Won
II "hcnz"licTn- SiGmarinGcn came TO rule
IT, through 1877. when Roumania de-
dared her independence from Turkey.
to 1881. when she erected a Kingdom
the younger Bratianu chcrishcs The
hope 10 preside over his country's q
1"nsj"n into a frst-c!ass power
POSITION UNASSAILABIE
II INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
III International politics his position
DIS uuassailablc Curiousiy enough his
mower and that Of his party G.ihoraD
rests largely upon the operations Of
three banks owned by himself and two
brothers. In foreign politics he is
@hrc"d and successful in employing
methods purely Oriental
The dashinG figures in the drama are
Take Jonescu and Nicholas Filtrcscu.
Roumnnian intrigue would he nothirp
without thcsc picturesque names
which do not IL with scenery like Inc
.fs ito.