Evening star., 1924-03-16

almost a million in population since
| the world war. Munich is greater
and richer, and Prague has almost
doubled in size. Poor as they claim
to be, there are many new buildings
in Vienna and Budapest, and, as for
Belgrade. 1t seems to have a thou
sand Aladdins who erect a palace OF
so overnight. find new buildings
going up in every direction In this
capital Of Rumania. The country has
been more than doubled by the
treaties Of peace. and its population
has trebled, with some thousands to
spare. At the same time, refugees
are coming from the surrounding
countries. and the city finds it almost
impossible to give sleeping space to
its guests.
An interesting thing about the new
construction is that it Is done largely
by gypsies. Something like one
eighth Of the Rumanians belong to
that race. and they are to be found
largely in the cities and towns. The
gypsies do not like steady jobs, but
will come in and work as mechanics
when the wages are high. They are
especially good as bricklayers and
masonA They work in gangs of
forty or nifty. one gang taking charge
Of . house and building 1t according
to order.
The women work as well as the
! men. They mix the mortar and carry
1t in buckets on their heads or shoul-
ders to the masons. They wheel
bricks and stone in barrows, and dc
all sorts Of dirty, hard labor that nc
American woman could be bribed ts
perform. saw one this morning sit
ting on = pile Of bricks nursing heI
baby while another bareleggec
woman was filing a bucket with
mortar. As I looked the mother cut
short the baby's meal and laid the
little ono down on the brickA lifted
the heavy mortar bucket to hel
shoulder and climbed up the ladder.
Leaving this scene, drove on b,
palace after palace until I came te
glad to say, has one Of the bes
houses Of Bucharest. II belongs to q
RumAnian millionaire, who lives II
the attic, and our minister pays fol
II, venture, a rental several times
that allowed by the government.
Uncle Sam is generous in man,
ways. but he Is mighty mean to his
diplomats. The house is grea,
three-story mansion. with a large
, and beautiful garden, containing Z
fountain and statues Of martle. The
rooms are furnished with fne ole
pieces. paintings and rugs. which thu
minister has picked up in his Ions
diplomatic service, and the whole i.
home and place for entertainment,
of which the United States should bs
proud.
" X X 4
,nUR minister here is Peter Angus
tus Jay, who has been in tn,
diplomatic service almost since h
left college. I frst met him sixteeY
years ago. when he was charge DAT
|, faires at Toxic. japan. and 1t Wa
shortly after that that saw the an
nouncement Of his marriage to tht
i eldest daughter Of that able lawyer
stanch Presbyterian and presiden,
| of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, Johr
| J. McCook, one Of the hghting Nc
Cooks who celebrated themselves II
our civil war. Shortly after that Mr.
Jay was transferred to Constants
nople. where he spent hve years al
{ secretary. often acting as chars'
d'ARatres, and later he WAS secretar,
and charge d'aRaires at Rome.
| crossed the Atlantic with him thre,
years aso. when he was on the wa,
from Salvador to take charge Of ou
| Affairs In RumAniA
| ! am told that he has made him
| self most popular here. He ought 4
| be, II there 10 anything In experienc,
| or hsrodity. His sreat-grandfathe
was John Jay, who was Chief Justict
Of the United States Supreme cour
and also the hrst American nniniste
| to the court Of st. James, havinl
been sent there ct the close OF th'
revolutionary war by Gen. Washing
ton to conclude treaty with Eng
land. He had Instructions that tn
treaty must be made. whatever TIN
con hit3ons The ,,nsult yas that whey