Evening star., 1938-07-23
MAR|E'S POLITICS
SWAYED NATIONS
Late Queen Carried on Her
Statecraft CharmingIy
and Eventually.
b the Associated Press.

81 the Associated Press.
NEW YORK.-The death of Dow
ager Queen Marie of Rumania marks
the passing Of one of the great women
Of history-a vivid personality who,
working quietly within the concealing
shadow of the throne, changed the
political complexion of Eastern Eu-
rope and the fiery Balkans.
To the endless line of grieving sub
5ects moving in final homage by her
coffin in Cotraceni Palace, Bucharest,
she was more than majestic, she was
their friend and helper, sharer of their
Joys and sorrows-a fairy god-mother
who devoted her life to her people.
BY the elderly of the mourners she
Is remembered as Europe's glamour
girl Of the 90s-moSt lovely and bril-
liant princess of her day.
To perhaps privileged few of these
scores of thousands she was known
as the one who swung Rumania away
from Germany to the allied side in
the darkest days Of the war, the one
who inspired the present Balkan
entente and thus created a new great
influence, the one who helped make
possible the famous little entente and
many other momentous undertakings
Gorgeous in Middle Age.
Marie was every inch queen. Even
In her middle age she was gorgeous
creature. The svelt figure of her
youthful days had given way to state
illness, but the blue eyes and golden
brown hair, enhanced by a fine COM
plexion, were still hers.
Princess Marie, daughter of the
British Duke of Edinburgh and grand
daughter of Queen Victoria, was given
in political marriage to Hohenzollern
Prince Ferdinand when she was fas-
cinating II. The prince was to become
the second King of Rumania upon the
death of his uncle, King Charles, Just
after the outbreak of war.
They were rather an oddly assorted
pair, for he was shy, retiring little
man, characteristics which were made
even more noticeable because of the
forceful personality of his bride Prob
ably because of this the tradition grew
after they assembled the throne that
she was ruler in all but name.
Ferdinand True Ruler.
That was not true, for Ferdinand,
while not scintillating, had a mind
OF his own and used it. However. none
questions that Marie had a powerful
influence on him.
Outbreak of the war found Rumania
bound to Germany by treaty of long
standing, made by old King Charles.
Naturally the world expected his Ho-
henzollern heir to follow the same line.
but it was then that the genius of
British-born Marie first came into no.
tice in big way.
Quietly and persistently she showed
her German husband that, despite the
treaty, the people of Rumania in real
tty were sympathetic to the allies.
Finally she won him over, and in 1916
the country took the great step of
casting its lot with the enemies of the
central powers.
After the war Rumania, Yugoslavia
and Czechoslavia joined hands in the
little entente, for self-defense against
Germany. Here again the quiet in
duence of Marie was at work.
Envisioned Further Protection.
But her vision was much broader
than that. She realized another en-
tente must be created in the Balkans.
They had been under domina ton of
the central powers, and now needed to
stand together for collective security
and development.
So the royal Sorceress went to work.
Quietly she pulled the strings until the
Balkan entente was formed among
Rumania, Turkey, Greece and Yugo-
slavia. And she tried to cement this
powerful group, and at the same time
increase the prestige of Rumania, by
marrying her children into the royal
families of her allies
Her son, the Crown Prince Carol,
who is now King. was married to
Princess Helen of Greece And Just
to make it unanimous, so to speak, Ma
ries daughter Elizabeth married Prince
George of Greece, who long was king
without = throne, but now is back in
the seat of power.
Princess Marie, the Queens second
daughter, married King Alexander
(now dead) of Yugoslavia.
The Greek marriages turned out
badly, for both young couples were
divorced. Still. Rumania had gained
political friendships even if Queen
Marie was deeD1v 6istraeee cod ovor tho