Evening star., 1926-04-17

sla and Western Europe. Before the
World War she had 100000 popula-
ton, now she has. by grace Of the
treaties Of Versailles and Lausanne.
100000. and her territory is more
than doubled. This added population,
although largely Rumanian by race,
had had no part in recent Rumanian
development-prior to the World War
nor in Rumanian traditions and
ideals. Hence, it is not strongIv
sympathetic with the aristocratic
parties who have ruled, nor bound
closely to the dynasty.
10 old Rumalia are now added
Pennsylvania and Banat, in which are
living $500, 900 Hungarians and 300
900 Germans. It IS unlawful to carry
on conversation in German. for II is
the policy. as customary In all Euro
pean countries, to attempt to nation.
alize annexed territory. The new Ru-
mania also includes BesSarabia and
Bukovina, formerly Russian TERRITORY
and still claimed by the Soviets so
threateningly that Rumania holds two
army corps upon the Russian border
The country suffered as severe dev-
astation in the war as did either Bel
GUM or France, and while IL is ex
tremely rich in natural resources, il is
almost destitute of capital to exploit
these possible sources of wealth, with
out admitting foreign investors, with
tne danger of foreign domination over
Rumanian deStinies. Old Rumania
supplied per cent of the oil Of the
world prior to the war.
The mining capital invested In old
Rumania was altogether foreign-60
per cent belonging to Germans, which
was conftScated as q war measure. 26
per cent British and 15 per cent
American. When the government
took over the landed estates, to appor-
ton the land among the peasants.
II retained for the government all
mineral rights. the peasant getting
only surface rights. which was all that
would be OF any use to him.
There Is little opportunity, there
iore, Tor foreign investment unless
the government sees At to grant con-
cesslons of its mineral rights to
foreign exploiters. and il was a policy
or Bratiano, now embodied in law. To
retain control of all such developing
enterprises by retaining 55 per cent
OF their stock. The natural resources
are said to be very rich in oil. salt.
hsnite' manganese. gold and copper.
IN former days. Rumanian estates
were extremely large, covering from
10000 TO 10000 or more acres. Rur
~ years ago the aristocrats foresav
the desirability of dividing up the land
among the peasants. Recently. agra.
ran laws have appropriated most OF
the large estates and cut them I'M for
peasant holdings. It is vigorously de.
MED that this action is due to threats
OF soVletizing the country, but peasant
lnnuence is quite strong and organiza
tion among the peasants is growing
stronger, though denying bolshevfstic
tendencies. In Pennsylvania, most OF
the land was already held blythe
peasants, but the agrarian REFORMS
nave been most important in OLD
Rumania. -
While Rumania now includes many
not OF native race, there Is claimed to
be no greater mixture Of peoples than
IN the United States, and there ts said
10 be no race barriers that are based
upon mere racial prejudice. It is de
MED that there are ever 'tpoErofns'
against the Jews, although there arr
many Jews in Rumania and bars
have been set at the Russian bordel
against further admission of Jewish
refugees
Said Bratiano recently to an Eng,
lish traveller and writer, Mr.. Dudley
Heathcote:
NO one can deny that the an
nexation of the new provinces has
brought within our borders some
vigorous and hostile racial minorities
whose assimilation presents many
difficulties. 60 For over q thou
sand years the Magyars subjected our
unfortunate people to the most in
tense form of assimilation.
1t is now our task to undo this work
yet. though we are determined by
colonization and other means to de-
stroy these majorities and convert
them into Rumanian. we remain ami
mated with the most sincere liberal
ism and are affording the Magyar and
other racial minorities every facility
for preserving their own culture.
language and schools. This was the
principle that animated our policy,
and if at times we have departe6
from it, the Hungarians nA-s 0nIv
themselves TO thank for it. Tneis In
transigeance, 'contemptuous attitude
and obvious refusal to accept the fat
accompli left US no other alternative"
fCnnvrixhA ln0n. hw Paul " Cnluna.S