Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-17

II u the great prize which Germany
I'm now possesses. They are another
q - illustration of the economic SIDE
of the war.
Rumania as compared with the
United states or Russia, or the Argen-
tine Republic. cannot be considered
one of the principal grain fields OF the
world. yet the country is granary
which, under normal conditions, raises
much more wheat than is necessary TO
feed her 100000 Inhabitants.
Germany needs that wheat. She has
had a fair proportion of it almost from
the beginning of hostilities. for 1t is
to be remembered that Rumanla Tor
two years balanced herself between the
two sets of belligerents and maintained
a genuine neutrality. In the beginning
the entente allies were able to use
moral suasion so that some obstacles
were placed in the way of Germany
getting the grain, but this did not last.
Rumania had not only the wheat,
but also had more Indian corn. beans
and other vegetables than she was able
to consume. Some of the vegetables
went to waste during one season, but
after that German system was able to
arrange so that none of the food sup
plies were wasted The Rumanians
wanted the money for their crops. No
way was open for getting these out
through the Black sea to the allied
countries or to Spain and other neutral
countries which were former customers.
Importance for Rumania to look to
Germany as "A customer for her wheat
and other farm crops
How far this situation was a factor
in the diplomatic intrigues can only be
conjectured. but it undoubtedly had
something to do with the frequent
checks received by the entente allies
in their Balkan diplomacy. 1t was only
when Rumania felt that the allies We're
sure to be the victors that she turned
her back on Germany and sided with
England and France. Her course con-
firmed the Rumanian statesmen who
had urged that her safety lay in wait
ing until she could be certain of know
ing who would be the victor. Whether
she misjudged. future events must de-
termine. but Rumania doubtless felt
when she plunged into the war that II
would only be q short time until the
Dardanelies would be open and her sur
plus crops would be floating out
through the Mediterranean.
PREVIOUS TO THIS move there MAD been
something in the nature of eco
homie rapprochement with the cen
rral powers. and this rapprochment
had a political significance that was
as much appreciated in Germany and
Austria as ii was dreaded in England
and France. Economic pacts We're ar
ranged at both Berlin and Vienna with
Rumania, and Germany took special
pains to impress Bucharest with the
commercial advantages of these eco
nomic understandings
The railway from Vienna and Buda-
pest to Bucharest and to ConstanZa,
on the Black sea, was made the agency
of these demonstrations of CONNER
cial friendship. This railway com
munication so long as Rumania was
neutral. furnished easy means of
transportation for her farm crops and
offset the disadvantage of having no
outlet through the Black sea and the
Mediterranean.
How much wheat Rumania will pro-
duce next season, II the war con-
tinues. is pure guesswork. Her wheat
ducing 100.00O.000 bushels In 1913
the production reached 100000 bush
els. The following year it dropped to
100000 bushels, but this was not
due to any large number of the cul-
tivators having been drawn from the
soil through the military mobilization.
1t resulted from natural causes.
The International Institute of Agri-
culture at Rome lately has issued a
warning to the whole world about the
necessity Of rigid food economy for
the next year. 1t had war conditions
In mind, but it's estimates were based
on the normal conditions of agricul-
tural production. In its calculations
tho fnstitute assumes Rumanian
wheat reserve from last summers
harvest as part of the existing sur
plus. but no details are given Of the
number of bushels estimated for next
years crop. 1t would be difiicult to