Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-14
BY LELAND STOWE.

This Is at once the Sanest and most
concise answer to the first question
asked of newspaper correspondence
When they left Rumania and asked BY
tnem while within its borders in the
Two weeks following the ascension OF
King Carol to the throne. People have
mad right to be perplexed. How
they nave queried, could a prince who
mad been in exile and disgrace for -four
| years, who had deserted his princess
| TO elope with the ruby-haired wife O,
Rumanian military attache, re-estab-
lSh himself almost over night in his
| counCrys favor? How could he SWEEP
aside at one stroke all barriers of Law
and regency and domestic ineffective
Inc answer lies in the word inev-
liable, IN the reasons promoting its use
These are several. First, the weakness
OF the regency, with its two aged figure
heads and its somewhat harum-scarum
third member, Prince Nicholas. Sec
ond, the fear Of the powerful Bratiano
| dynasty, long known as "Rumania's
uncrowned kings" Third, the wide
spread belief that Rumania needed a
one-man regime man on the throne
qualified to cope with political machi-
| nations and conSpiracies as q boy could
not do. And, fourth, the unanimous
| loyalty Of the army to Carol and the
| perfect experimentation of his plot to
| return.
House OF Cards Topples.
In the face of these realities Carol
was confronted not with a united and
| strong opposition within his native
land but with what the French delight
in calling a house of cards. Only his
presence and show of energy were
| required for the eXiled prince to send
the cards sprawling helter-skelter.
| Carol had the good judgment to inter-
pref the situation at its actual value
and act accordingly. Beyond that he
had the faith to believe that the Ru-
manian people would forgive and forget.
Events have shown that his judg-
ment was right. The Rumanian peo-
pie are tolerant, as the King himself
stated in what was probably the first
| general audience to the worlds news
paper men ever given by a monarch
| upon assuming the throne. ANY one
who says otherwise" said Carol, docs
not know the Rumanian people" Carol
knows them well enough to stake a
throne upon their tolerance-upon that
| and upon vitiated system of govern
ment whose authority had dwindled to
| little more than name.
After numerous conversations with
leaders of widely separated political
views in Bucharest and with other Ru-
manians outside of politics, it is diff
cult to recall single deviation in judg-
ment upon the new defunct Rumanian
regency. 1t was a Stop-gap regime.
Scarcely any one had dared regard 1t
as permanent. In the beginning, three
years ago, it had commanded a certain
amount of respect and some authority.
But with the death, IN the Autumn of
1929, of the venerated patriarch and
chief regent, DR.. Buzdugan, a heavy
blow was dealt the regency.
Regency's Loss of Esteem.
Saratzeanu, who succeeded, lacked
Buzdugan's great influence on public
opinion and was not nearly so strong
personality. Thus the regency suf-
fered from a distinct drop in esteem.
In addition it consisted of two men in
their 70s and a youth in his 20S, with
a weakness for driving about madly in
his speedy automobile. There was lit
tie in this combination to suggest either
security or permanency and the Ru-
manian people sensed this with increas-
ing concern in the last eight months.
1.-THE return of Carol is inevitable"
This was being admitted privately
six months ago. People knew the re-
gency was doomed whether it lasted
for another year or for three years. To
succeed it, Rumania had the choice OF
two alternatives only-Carol or some
such political dynasty as might be set
up at a propitiouS moment by Vintlla
Bratiano. The throttling power OF the
Bratiano riches has always been a
source of fear and, in some sections,
of hate in Rumania. Carol, direct de-
| scendant of the Hohenzollern line, was
| infinitely preferable TO the possible
| complete domination of the Bratianos
| at some undetermined date.
COnspiracies Feared.
Likewise. the continuance of the re-
| gency over a long period of years left
| the door open for 1ncessant bargain
| ings and conspiracies in the Rumanian
state. Nicholas support of the regency
was but surface deep. At any moment
| the death of one of the aged regents
might precipitate another crisis. To
level-headed Rumanians the possibility
| of maintaining a regency OF shiftlng
| personnel for eleven more years, until
| The bow King Michael became OF age,
was almost nil. Hence, the feeling that
| Carol, one day or another, would return
| either to head the regency or 10 become
| King.
Leading directly out Of these two
| contributing causes for the TREMENDOUS
l D
fact that Rumanians of almost every
| party, except the Bratiano Liberals
were convinced their country needed q
! one-man regime. While seeking the ex-
| planation for Carols swift success,
was frequently told, I'VE are better on
| with Carol back on the throne. Ru"
mania has needed one head to state
affairs ever since King Ferdinand oleo
1t is safer and wiser to have one 4eaoei
than three"
| Linked with this was the widespread
feeling that the boy King Michael wa
always subject to being made the Victln
of political Vaccinations and lust 1oi
| power. 1t is fair to say that the Hu'
manian people believe, with Carol upoI
the throne. both Rumania's future ane
Michaels future are more secure. INT
Rumanian people love Michael. 1t also
has been demonstrated convincingly py
the great wave of enthusiasm whicr
swept the country with the news OF M
return that they love Carol IL.
Regency Aids in Own Demise.
Thus, by force OF circumstances, thu
way has long been paved for Carols re-
turn. Paved by the inadequacy and In
stability of the regency. Paved by TN
fear of an eventual Bratiano coup Wnlci
might overthrow the dynasty. Paved D.
:he widespread conviction that Rumanla
if order and sane government were U
be restored, must have one chief at tn
head of things, and that a mature maj
capable of holding popular affection
and support. To-day it is indisputabl
that King Carol has this popular af
. lection and support. One OF his prin
cipal problems is the necessity Of tn
King showing himself capable of holdin
them.
With this situation inside Rumania'
borders, the dramatic return of primo
from exile to take the throne was IA
more simple than it appeared to out
, side eyes. The stage was set. Caro-
: by waiting, had the good sense to al
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