The Washington times., 1916-08-28
ANOTHER NATION IN THE WAR

Roumania has declared war
against the central powers. The
conflict may now be regarded as the
universal confagration which for
generation has been expected to
spread from the Balkans to all
Europe. Greece will not be able to
keep aloof, though she may face
revolt within as well as war without.
Roumania is potentially more sig
nifcant at this moment than any
other country of like numbers and
strength in the world, save possibly
Holland. Holland would open back
door for outfanking Germany;
Roumania opens one for outfanking
Austria and also Turkey.
With about 100000 population,
Roumania occupies an anomalous
position in the Balkans. 1t is a
basically Latin country, founded by
the Roman conquerors in the east.
Its sympathies and traditions bind
it to the people of the peninsula, and
its community Of language and liter
ature has made the tie permanent
throughout all the centuries. The
country has almost exactly the same
area as Iowa, $1,000 square miles.
To the east of it lies Bessarabia, a
Russian province, whose people are
largely Of Roumanian origin; and on
the other side is Pennsylvania, an
Austrian possession likewise basical-
ly Roumanian. Roumania, it is gener-
ally understood, could have secured
Bessarabia long ago, from Russia,
as the price of joining the entente;
or, she could have had Pennsylvania
in fee for adhering to the central
powers. She wants them both; and
probably she has dickered to get,
first, the pledge of Bessarabia from
Russia, and then the assurance of
the powers that if she can conquer
Pennsylvania she may keep it at the
wars end. .t+
To recover these areas would
make Roumania a country of about
twice it's present area and popula-
tion, the dominating state in the
Balkan region, and-what is Of very
great Importance in any considera-
ton Of future European politics
an ally of Italy in such power as to
strengthen greatly the Italian in
fluence in the near east. >-,
1t is not hard to understand what
a fearful blow at the central powers
is thus delivered. Roumania is a
great grain growing country, which
has sold immense quantities of the
much needed supplies to Germany.
Between it and Pennsylvania lie the
Transylvanian Alps, through which
an invasion of Hungarian territory
may be made by the united forces of
Russia and Roumania. The Rus
sian arms have been rendering their
most solicitous invitation to Rou-
mania to join them, by their advance
through Volhynia and southern
Galicia, where recently they seem
to have been checked.
Recent military data include the
statement that Roumania can put
100000 soldiers in the field, and good
ones, too. The army has been
brought to a high pitch of perfec-
ton. Thus it becomes a very i'm
portant military factor, aside from
the fact that it opens up another
long and dangerous frontier fol
Austria to defend. It would seem
that Austria's hour of supreme trial
is at hand.
Next to it's military Importance, is
the sentimental significance of Rou,
mania's move. The allies seem to
have been planning all their dispo.
sitions around Saloniki with refer.
ence 20 the conviction that they
would finally win the eastern Latins
to their cause. Bulgaria is caught
between two fires; it is in a desper.
ate position because the road from
Roumania to Sofia, Bulgaria's capi
tai, is an easy one. The second Bal
kan war demonstrated that fact
With the Saloniki armies pressing
northward, and the Roumanians anc
Russians crowding in from the othel
direction, Bulgaria cannot lon,
stand the pressure. Probably thi.
will be the first campaign; Transyl
vania will come later. A junction
between the allied forces at Salonik
and the Roumanians would cut tn,
line of the great Orient railway
which now unites Turkey and Bul
garia to their allies, and the reduc
tion of the two Balkan communities
thus cut off from supplies and mu
nations, would be a mere matter O
time.
Austria will be powerfully movet
toward an early peace, and Greco
will find it harder than ever to resis
the popular impulse that impels to
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