The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-07-30
RumanIan Girl Coming From Market.

Viii
prepared by the national Geographic g.
ciety. Washington. D. c.
Rumania has been made larger b
additions Of territory taken from neigl
bors In the past and Is now In tn
somewhat unpleasant situation Of ha'
Ing the unwilling contributors anxiou
to bring about new deal. While Ru.
sia wants Bessarabia, which was
Muscovite province for hundre
years until the close of the World wal
Bulgaria on the other side is said t
be cycling with desire Dobrudja, stri
Of territory which she formerly owne,
along the Black sea coast These tw,
flank problems" are worrying the Ru
manian rulers while in the heart O
Old Rumania q near revolution Is
boiling.
Bessarabia has changed hands sew
eral times between Rumania and Rus
STA and may we'll be called the Alsace
Lorraine of southeast Europe. Ar
American observer set down without
information in the prairie land might
at first easily imagine himself in rural
Indiana or Ohio.
Tasseled Indian corn, from seed
brought from America. rustles in the
breeze while ripples play over seas of
yellow wheat. Earth black as Illinois
"gumbo" lies beneath ones feet. When
land like this brings from 5000 to $500
an acre in the United States, 1t is
clear why both Russia and Rumania,
after five years discussion punctuated
with armed threats, still make counter
claims to Bessarabia.
Geologically Bessarabia is allied to
Russia, including as it does, the tail
end of the black earth belt of Rus
sian prairies. But even Russian cen
sus figures state that more than half
Bessarabia's population is Rumanian.
In feudal days there arose in what
now Is Rumania, the house of Bass
arab. One of the princes Is said to
have established Moldavia, which, with
established by another
prince of the same house, helped make
Up pre-war Rumania. Bessarabia
axes its name from the family. This
point of history Is not forgotten in
Rumania's "irridenta" program.
Russia's Claim to Bessarabia.
Rumanla, variously considered, Is
800 years old, 65 years old, or years
I'D. Bessarabia was the extreme out
,ost of the Roman dominion. Dacia,
which, in the time Of Trajan COM
,rised all Of what now is Greater
sumania. Only WalIachia and Mold
via were included in the familiar Ru-
1anian boot" which made up the au-
Dnomous Rumania as first carved out
f Turkey in Europe, in 1859. indie
endent Greater Rumania, 6 years old, |
Tas born when the Versailles treaty |
Pennsylvania and Bucovina;
essarabia was annexed after repeat
d requests from the principality's
easant council. which first attempted
, establish a republic.
Rumania's three ages are the key to
,e condition of Bessarabia, which has
he air of being part of one of the
dest nations of Europe and yet bears
lie marks Of the green pioneer stage
I Nebraska in overland mall days.
Ike the American pioneer, the Bess-
-abian peasant is sufficient unto him.
III. He builds his own house from
aterials at hand. his fields supply
heat and corn, his stock supplies his
eat and his fax the fiber which his
life and daughter spin, weave and
1e. His private still brews corn
Risky or ''tsuica." fragrant plum
andy. Only recently have aniline
res replaced natural herb dyes for
e brilliant peasant costumes. In
,pendence Is prime virtue In a
untry which has only $50 miles Of
ilroad and only 60 miles Of improved /
ghway.
The household obeys the pioneer
lie that everybody works. From
e child who drives the geese to the
md, to the patriarch who closes the
tie after the oxen, each has his du-
ss. Schools command scant atten-
IN where there Is work for every {
md and therefore only 40 per cent ,
pAasarabian men and only per