Evening star., 1927-11-10
Punishments Provided in
Proposal to Prevent Moves
Against Government.
MANOILESCU FACES COURT
IN CAROLIST CONSPIRACY
Two Hundred Witnesses Called.
Martial Law Prevails During
Military Hearing.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BUCHAREST, Rumania, November
10.-On the day fixed for the trial OF
NJ Manoilescu on charges of being y
Carolist plotter. the Rumanian regency
which rules for the six-year-old King
Michael, today had before it propose
intended to strengthen the position Of
the regency and the government by
most stringent measures.
With letters from former Crown
Prince Carol in his possession,
Manoilescu, who was undersecretary
If finance in the Averescu cabinet, was
charged with completely in plot to
place the exiled prince on the throne.
His arrest on October "a, was the
first of series which followed the
discovery by the Bratiano government
Of a moment to place the cause of
Carol before the RumaY,ian people.
Censorship Imposed.
4 censorship has been imposed and
charges that dictatorship is planned
by Premier Bratiano and that he had
threatened to establish a republic If
power were not placed in his hands
nave been made.
The bill now before the regency Is
apparently the project the opposition
press had in mind when it said th"t
a dicta torship was imminent. The
newspaper Lupta said the severe
measures contained in the proposal
were already in force, but will not be
intensified.
Among the exceptional measures
which, under the bill, may be taken to
prevent any change in the existing
regime are censorship or suppression
of newspapers or other publications,
prevention of public meetings and the
suspension of individual liberty.
Imprisonment of six months to two
years and fines of from 5000. to $4,000
it are provided for any one spreading
false news concerning q change OF
institutions, for agents provocateurs
and accomplices.
Just as the trial was opening today
Bucharest had i9-minute. sensation
when the name of William S. Culbert-
son. American Minister to Rumania
was dramatically linked with the al
legged plot to restore Prince Carol to
the throne. But it was all a mista Ike.
Minister Explains.
One of the local newspapers an
nounced this morning that the Ameri-
can Minister had called at the mill
tary prison where M. Manoilescu is
confined and left his card, which fell
into the hands of the secret police.
Mr.. Culbertson is a popular figure
among all classes in Bucharest and
the story created a sensation through
out the capital. already keyed to
high pitch by the Carol conspiracy
trial.
The comic denouement to the
little drama came soon, however. when
the circumstances of the finding of
the American diplomats card at the
prison became known.
In accordance with European diplo.
matte etiquette, Mrs. Culbertson a few
days ago instructed a functionary at
the American legation to leave lat
home" cards on all the members of
the Rumanian cabinet and the foreign
diplomats. Unhappily. the messenger
took as his guide an old list of off.
Gals. containing the name of Manoi
lescu, who was member of the
Averescu cabinet, now out of office.
The card was duly left at Manoiles
GUS home and his relatives sent it to
him at the prison.
Mr.. CulbertsOn quickly called upon
Foreign Minister Titelescu and related
the circumstances. whereupon the Ru-
manian official laughed heartily and
said that the government had not be.
lieved the story in the first place.
The courthouse and the streets for
blocks around were under complete
martial law. with armed sentries chal-
lenging all seeking admission.
200 Witnesses Called.
In a mall whitewashed room. no
larger than an American schoolroom,
40 of Ruma MAS most brilliant law
yers and jurists opened their defense
Of the former official. who is specifi-
cally charged with endangering the Sc
curity of the state by attempting to
place Carol upon the throne now oc-
cupied by his G.year.old son, ki"-
Michael
~: colr' martial. which Is trying
Manoilescu. was composed of one
colonel as president, two majors and
two captains IS co-judges, while the
pu' prosecutor was Col. Carapan.
cea, long practiced in communist mill
tary trials, whose stentorian voice
showed that he was accustomed to Civ
ins commands, but whose nervous. al
most deferential attitude. betrayed ms
consciousness of the strength OF the
formidable array Of legal luminaries
opposing him.
There were 200 witnesses waiting to
be called.