Evening star., 1924-06-25
BUCHAREST CALLED
BALKAN BROOKLYN
Rumanian Capital, With 125
Churches, Is Dotted by Tur-
.@-t-
- rets and Cupolas."
A CITY OF SOCIAL GAYETY
Geographic Society Describes Scene
of Military Reign.

Bucharest, where public meetinps
were banned and Rumania placed nm.
der martial law, has been called The
is OF the East but it might also
De termed the Brooklyn of the Bal
kans"
bulletin from the WASHINGTON
headquarters of the National Geo
kfaphic Society, explains that the Ru-
manian capital is a city of churches
some l2o of them. One cannot walk
far without encountering one; there
is scarcely view which does not in
cluoe one or two of them.
Turrets and Cupolas.
These churches are especially no.
deeable because of their numerous
turrets and cupolas. The latter usu-
ally are plated or gilded. Despite the
abundance of towers, the church bells
are hung outside, on wooden porches
a. few yards from the main building.
All this is not to say that Bucha-
rest Is noticeably religious. The trav-
cfous, colorful. He stands on any fire.
quented street and sees well dressed.
pretty women, many of them girls,
who seem to have escaped the seclu-
of the west.
Here. indeed, is the clue to Bucha-
rest 1t is a Partisan city on the
Illhse or the orient: Latin oasis
surrounded by Slavs. 1t expresses
the curious Rumanian paradox of a
country which begets a major part of
its language, it's religion, and it's law
from Slavic sources. and imparts its
institutions. its education and it's
fashions from Paris.
City OF Social Gayety.
The restrictions of martial law
Its many beautiful homes were CEN
ters of continual entertaining: it's
numerous cafes had developed the
dining-out habit as extensively as in
Vienna and Stockholm. The Ru-
manian is naturally loquacious. vi
for him to remain aloof and alone.
THE presence of many soldiers
will not be conspicuous, though their
participation in the serious task of
martial law enforcement will be a
novelty. The city always loved the
uniform and its soldiers with high
heels. soft laced boots, and waxed
mustaches added a colorful compile
ment to it's chic women. These
soldiers showed their uettle by their
brave defense of their city during the
world war before an overpowering
attack compelled the removal Of the
capital temporarily to Jassy.
An "Olympian" Post once.
Adding to the color of the city
Ii the practice among the prince and
merchant owners of it's many beauti-
full homes of inclosing their grounds
with a tall, black. iron fence. The
railings and the ornate gateways are
decorated in gold. Its public build
ings are especially imposing. The
post Office has been called 'Olympian
in it's grandeur
within a decade the city's popu-
lation more than doubled. Its visitors
multiplied and 1t often required per-
sistent effort to get a room in one
of it's large hotels or to obtain a
table in one of their beautiful dining
rooms. Many of these were open to
the sky.
Much of, the gay life has been
gone from Bucharest for a year or so,
while it made earnest effort to come
to reparatfons agreements with other
European powers. Meanwhile foreign
creditors were pressing it's merchants
for private debts. The delay In ad-
justing these financial problems is
largely responsible for the present
political crisis"