Evening star., 1916-08-27

Rumania might have to SELL and owing
to the financial power of the entente
group large portion OF the supplies
have been obtained by it.
Just what influence this commercial
activity may have had on the sentiment
OF the Rumanian peoples is purely con :
jectural. but it is believed certain to
have great influence on popular opin-
ion as to the allied cause, even though
there be no other and larger objects to
be gained by active participation on the
side of the entente.
The Rumanian situation has developed
rapidly the past ten days. and even
Teutonic capitals are inclined TO be-
lieve that Rumania will take her
final step within the immediate future
The allies seem certain of it. The peo-
pie OF Hungary. Austria and Germany
are being told without reservation that
Developments favor the entente al
though all profess to see no great dam
ger in Rumanian participation in the
war, citing the present German battle
lines on enemy soil and declaring that
VIII be overrun by Teutonic and Bull
garian hosts
Notwithstanding the professed great
unconcern in Berlin. the Rumanian
menace is a grave
"ouAO OA4uS VI
Grave Situation. onlv wnn1a ~
mania permit the transportation of huge
bodies Of Russian troops-now reported
massed on the Rumanian frontier-into
Bulgaria, but she also undoubtedly
would send a large portion Of her we'll
equipped army. estimated at between
100000 and 500, 900, along with the Slavs
An army of nearly half million men
could be dispatched toward Bulgaria
and in view of the present occupation
of large proportion of Bulgarian troops
on the Macedonian trent. the overrun-
ming OF the Bulgarian nation would be
entirely within the bounds of possibility.
This force also would endanger the Bull
gars In Macedonia. and they. in all prob
ability. would be caught between a mill
tary vice Such union of Runauians
and Russians has unlimited possibilities
In SO far as operations to the southwark
are concerned.
would be invaded by the Rumanians an
other problem would have to be dealt
with by Berlin. The whole Rumanian
frontier on the Austro- Hungarian side,
from the River Danube to the northern
most point, would open a new field of
battle, and in view of allied offensives
in practically every other arena of
war this truly would prove a disadvan-
taSe. Turkish, German. Austrian and
Hungarian forces in large numbers al
ready are assembled on the Rumanian n
line in anticipation of some Rumanian n
effort toward the heart of Austria and
Hungary. Just how serious such an
incursion would prove is problenatical,
but that it would tend to embarrass
Teutonic operations. both in the Bal
kans and on the eastern front is GER
tain.
Rumanias hour truly has arrived
Shall she take her stand alongside the
other entente nations and reap a pos
sible rich territorial award, or shall
she risk having her own native terri :
tory overrun by Teutonic enemy hosts
with consequent sufferings and blood :
shed? These are the questions that to-
day evidently are uppermost in the
minds of ali Pumanians
How soon will Rumania act? is the
predominant question in the capitals
Of all belligerent nations. for il is verify
believed that it is only a question of
time until King Ferdinand leads his
men on the battlefield.