The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-11

Franz Ferdinand, which was the trag-
edy which touched off the fireworks.
Mr.. Lucacin. head of the Rot manian
commission, has made the statement
officially that there is no longer any
doubt who planned the murder I'm
Serajevo. Bosnia, on June 2S, 1914. The
kaiser alone was guilty He wanted to
dispose Of this man who disapproved
Of the German plan of a war against
the Slavs, and yet who would be ruler
of Germany's chief ally when the old
emperor, Franz Joseph. died. Assas-
sination served a double purpose, for
il removed this obstacle to Teutonic ag-
gression and it melted the enmity of
the Austrian emperor against the Serbs
There has been a rumor for nearly a
year that the kaiser knew more of the
Cerajevo murder than he was willing
to admit. A weekly newspaper in Paris
suggested the possibility in February,
1916. but was unable to prove its as
sertiOns. But the Roumanians have
documentary evidence to prove that
this greatest Of all plots had the i'm.
print MADE in Germany" on the bot.
tom.
If the German diplomats had been
more agile Of brain and tongue they
might have held Roumania to the alli-
ance of 1888, which implied military
support Of the German arms. But
awkwardness in handling the whole
Balkan situation lost this diplomatic
battle and Roumania decide to remain
neutral. Time only served to secure
the isolation Of the Roumanians from
their former friends and in August.
1916, they went to war on the side of
the allies, chiefly for territorial ag-
grandizement. The story Of the rapid
sweeping Of the Dobruja and of Wal
lachia is well known. When winter
came last December it found the Ger.
man armies in control Of the greater
part Of Roumania. Its oil fields and
fertile fields have since proved a great
boon to Germany.
There was not much change on the
eastern front in the Roumanian sector
until the recent Russian difficulties.
which prompted the Germans TO push
their lines farther east all along the
line from Riga to the Black sea This
has been done quite successfully on the
north and in the middle Of The line
where Russian soldiers have been on
guard. But in Moldavia, where the
| Roumanian soldiers have been fight.
ing for their lives and homes, their
resistance has been more stubborn and
Germany has made less progress. The
| Roumanian capital was moved last year
/ from Bucharest TO Jassy, where it re-
| mains today, although threatened by
| the advancing German armies Unless
the allies send immediate aid TO Rou
/ mania, and unless the Russian situation
! soon improves, there is little hope OF
preventing Germany from overrunninp
the rest Of Roumania. The commission
now in the United States should have
every aid which we can lend 10 the
country it represents, and there should
be no delay in sending the supplies
which mean so much now The pres
ent military situation indicates that
only one thing can save Roumania-
a sudden allied onslaght on the whole
west front and an advance on a large
scale upon the Macedonian front. which
will necessitate the transfer of Ger
man troops from the east front tC
bolster the wobbly western lines anC
thereby bring a temporary respite t
the hard-pressed Roumanians and Rus
SLAMS. Bad weather lately has pre-
vented any campaign of appreciabl,
proportions in the west. but there /,
still a possibility that the French anC
English can get under way enough I,
call a halt on the triumphal march to
ward Petrograd.