Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-16
BY LELAND STOWE.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
BUCHAREST, July 16.-Withou
doubt the most important unsettled
factor in the advent of Carol II on the
throne of Rumania is the domestic
problem created by his elopement five
years ago with Magda Lupescu, the
daughter of humble Bucharest shop
keeper whose fiery tresSes and mani
mate face have formed bathing ques-
ton mark for gossipy Europe ever
since.
No sooner had Carol been received
with enthusiasm in his native land, nc
sooner had the prodigal prince become
overnight the preserver of the Hohen-
zollern dynasty, than his domestic
tangle-so comfortably ignored in exile
rose to plague him. All Rumanis
pondered and talked diScreetly about
the new Kings personal affairs.
Carol had achieved the perhaps I'M
precedented feat of ascending throne
which had been occupied both by his
father and his son. Rumania had had
boy King whose mother was not and
never had been a Queen. Rumania had
had a crown prince who, by national
law. was no longer her crown prince
Now the former exile had overthrown
all barriers and assumed what birth
and tradition had designated as his
rightful place.
Two Questions UppermOst.
Carol was confronted by a unique
situation. Princess Helen, the mother
Of his legal successor, was no longer
his wife Exactly two years before the
Rumarian courts had ruled that Helen
had just grounds for divorce. Similar
". national law and the regency had
recognized Helen as the rightful pro-
oh a
not Rumania already possessed one
dowager Queen in Marie, perhaps Helen
might have been decreed dowager
Queen as a tribute to the great love
she had shown for her son in the race
of sorrow and adversely. Now, with the
proclamation of Carol as King, Bucha-
rest was swayed by two questions;
Would Carol reconcile himself with
Princess Helen, seek annulment OF the
divorce and invite her 70 snare the
throne with him?
Would King Carol do what Prince
Carol had so firmly refused TO do and
renounce his friendship with Nine.
Gupescu?
The Royal Triangle.
Up to this moment Carol has failed
to do either one or the other. Before
the King can have complete tranquility
and perhaps complete solidarity in his
reign ne must solve this delicate and
embarrassing problem. Out OF fairness
to Carol, It must be said he has already
attempted in some measure to do so,
although how fully or with what de-
gree of generosity cannot be known
outside the royal family and few OF
their intimate friends.
Nevertheless, to date little or no prog
ress has been made. Rumanias royal
house remains divided. Nine. Lupescu
is still the Interested question marx
in the Hohenzollern dynasty and in
Rumanian state affairs. There remains
q royal triangle unchanged and dis
turbing, with two sharply contrasting
women in opposite corners. The Prin-
cess Helen of Greece and Rumania and
Magda LupeScu, woman OF humble
origin with strong will and an intan-
gible lure.
In such situation is was natural
that conflicting reports should ny
across Europe from the moment Carol
re-entered Bucharest. Reports of rec
onciliation with Helen, or remuneration
of an exile's romance. Reports that
Helen would leave Rumania; that she
would stay. That Lupescu had been
forgotten, that she was returning TO
Bucharest as the Kings favorite. That
the King would have nothing more to
do with the woman OF his exile; that
he secretly planned to bring her back
into Rumania.
Correspondents Confused.
Surely. runor never danced on more
sprightly and conscience-free feet than
in Bucharest for the opening weeks OF
Carols reign. So whimsical were Inese
that Helen, at the same moment, might
be reported reconciled in Carols arms
and motoring in stony anger from the
capital.
Correspondents came to the frame of
mind where an incident must be heard
from four different sources and these
all highly authoritative" before plac-
ing confidence in a report. After that
remained the task of finding as many
as four highly authoritative" sources.
In addition, out-of-date telegraph and
telephone systems were damned to a
standstill, so that the truth-if and
when discovered-lay buried on tele-
graph desk while rumors seeped out OF
the Balkans and into the worlds press
disguised as fact.
This by way of explaining the printed
statements that Princess Helen; recon-
ciled, accompanied the King TO North
Station in Bucharest to greet Dowager
Queen Marie Likewise to explain the
story that Helen dined with the rest
of the royal family at Cotrocent Palace
that night. Helen alone was conspic-
uously absent on the railroad platform
when Marie arrived. The fact that
she was not there beside her son Mi
chael was conclusive proof that to date
Carol had failed to effect reconcilia-
ton. And Helen's place at the lavish
royal table in Cotroceni was also I'M
occupied that night. The cold gap be-
tween Carol and Helen remained UNI
narrowed.
There is an interesting detail in con-