Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-15
ROUMANIA FEELS
IRON HEEL OF HUN
ASFOOD vAN|SHES
Germany SEXES Oil and Wheat
and Makes Country Pay
Cost Of Restoring
Order.

Washington, Sept. IL. -- Take
Jonesou, the Roumanian statesman, is
coming to America TO tell us what
the Germans have been doing in his
country. Washington has already
heard part OF the story. And while,
so far, Russia has been the standing
example OF what happens to land
which, in Gcrmany's own words,
blows to its will" il appears that
Roumania can teach us even more. 1t
was smaller, il had not so much as
Lenine and Trotzy 10 defend it. and
as a result in Roumania Germany has
been able really 10 work its will.
Ii has executed at will hundreds of
the principals in the war, Bratiano,
the war premier. is at present await
ing trial. And with him are most of
Roumania's pacihst-socialist leaders,
a majority OF whom opposed the war.
The occupation of the country
diminished the population by about
100000" writes DR.. Fritz Karl Mann,
in recent official report to Berlin.
And in another place we learn that
this decrease in population means just
plain deaths since Germany entered
the country, most OF them from dis
ease and starvation, Also. even in one
OF the richest food countries in the
world, the starvation is easily ex-
planned.
Germany Takes Oil.
In the Treaty of Bucharest, Ger
many did not, on the surface, demand
any money indemnity of Roumania.
As the German secretary of state ex-
pressed it, securities in natural prod
ucts better correspondent to German
interests" Which meant, first of all.
oil and wheat. And Germany is now
taking Roumanian oil at the rate of
some 1900 cars month. But of the
wheat il has taken far more.
Since March it has virtually been
taking all the food that 1t could
move, and il has seized the. whole
Roumanian transportation system, by
rail and on the Danube, with which
to move it. IL has taken the root and
fruit crops. compelling the owners to
dry them, where possible to make
their preservation and handling easier.
II has seized the fisheries, and put
them under forced labor. As for the
wheat, from the harvests of 1917,
1918. and 1919, Germany demanded
minimum of 100000 tons, or about
bushels.
Though the harvest of 1917 was al
most failure, the Germans claim to
have been able TO take enough of 1t |
to feed all Germany for 81 days. In |
1918, of Roumania's wheat lands less
than Is acres in the hundred have
,een productive. But none the less
Germany is now arranging to remove
wheat and other food
stuffs at the rate of 10000 cars
day. And Roumania is facing a
famine that may be absolute.
Roumania Pays for ALI.
Finally, in the mo indemnities"
clause OF the treaty OF Bucharest it |
now appears that there was Joker.
Germany was to pay for the food it |
took. But it is paying for it at prices
averaging one-ffth of those offered in |
the open market, and il is estimated |
that BY the end of 1919 this will be
equal to some $2,0O0,000000 alone.
Also Roumania is now to pay all ex-
penses Germany was put to "in re-
storing order" When. recently, this
was made clear to the German Reich
stag, it was made clear with laugh |
of cynicism. IF the Roumanians are
conscientiously to fulfill these obli-
cations" commented Won Kuhlmann,
"they will have to make serious exer-
tions."
Germany is. soon to make another
peace drive. Those who intend lis
tening to II should do so with the
treaty Of Brest-Litovsk framed on
one wall and the treaty of Bucharest
framed on the other.