Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17

1eyrand" OF the Balkans TO De
lay her long anticipated visit
to Washington.
1t is bit troublesome, the world in
which she lives just now, what with
King Boris furnishing "a target for
Communistic bullets and the Soviets
snarling and swapping around the
edges of Bessarabia. ..t. -a
II won't be this year, but sooner or
later Queen Marie of Rumania will
betake herself to New York, and
Americans will for. the first time meet
a queen who knows her business.
Her majesty is so exceptionally
handsome and SO affably democratic
in her manner that she disarns sus-
picion. But ask any of the trained
diplomats of Europe who Is the
shreWdest schemer around the polit-
ical chessboard and he will confide
that there is female Machiavelli in
Rumania who can give them all cards
and spades 49,.
Not so long ago she made sort Of
disguised royal progress through
Europe seeking sons-in-law-that is,
husbands for her beautiful daughters
and loans for her beloved Rumanians.
And the press of every country she
visited warned its statesmen to be-
ware of her beguilng charm. True,
she did not make off with any, prizes
tndt trip, at 1eaSt no one lOaned neT
any millions. nor did the Prince of
Wales fail into the arms of her mar
riageable child. But who knows how
many loans she extended or what Sc
cret understanding she reached?
In England they admitted she
trumphed in a difficult situation. 1t
is no secret that Queen Mary did not
like her style and thoroughly dis
trusted her arts. Yet she. too, sue
the prince heard that his mother and
the angel without wings" from Ru-
mania were cumming around he cx-
claimed: -.'
/ MY hat wonder how long they
will get on" ."r
They did get on, right through
the weeks Marie spent in England,
even though at the state ball the
gowns of the two queens Clashed and
bizarre jeweled cross that hung to
Maries shapely waist and the Russian
crown which rested on the cleaning
gold of her hair.
THERE was reason. Queen Mary
is determined to marry the Prince
of Wales respectfully at any cost. and
who knows but that his tickle fancy
inlSnl IAN OH the pedutHui little
daughter of Rumania's beautiful
queen? No one denies that the Queen
of England is a wise woman.
One is inclined to think that all the
stories of this dazzling and beautiful
Queen Marie have been told, but
chance has taken me to Rumania and
into the court life at Bucharest quite
frequently. and I learned things about
her there that ! have never seen
~.-iv tod hop nd tS.
the intimate and informal little in
cidents of my association with her
that my conception of this extraor-
i, binary woman is based.
I wonder if 1t is generally known,
| for instance, that at one time the
King Of Rumania, weary of Maries
| f1irtations, threatened her with vir-
tual Punishment from the throne? Her
| response to this threat indicates that,
| even then, she was at heart the con-
summate diplomat the world later dis
| covered her to be.
What do you think Queen Marie did
at this crisis of her life? Weep? No,
| Storm? Certainly not. No, her
majesty robed herself in all the bar
| barrie glory of Rumanian costume,
! placed her royal crown on her golden
| head and with that sunny hair flow
| ing unbound down her back she went
| to the Kings chamber and knelt penf-
! tently at his feet.
OF course. his majesty could not
| resist her appeal. Who could? So he
reached down and drew her into his
arms
But a man can embrace while he
| does not forgive. Though held cap
| tive by her beauty, the King robbed
her of many prerogatives that she had
enjoyed and pushed her as far as pos
| sible into the background, even going
to the length of giving the control OF
! her children to a governess.
| With the serene patience of the very
clever woman. Marie endured these
/ sights and awaited the hour OF her
revenge.
The. hour. struck during the. var: