Evening star., 1938-01-09
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

. Il German edif1ce constructed after
the war, Is not dead-it is stronger than
ever. But the purpose for which it was
organized has been changed It now sup
ports the totalitarian fortress Of Herr Hitler
and Signor Mussolini!
The last pillar Of the edifice changed
hands when Rumania accepted Octavian
Goga, the Jew-hater, the arch Nazi, as
premier with dictatorial powers
The change occurred only 48 hours after
the American Government accepted the
japanese apologies" On the surface there
seems to be no conceivable connection be-
tween the Panay incident and Rumanias
no doubt that our acceptance Of Japans
regrets IN the form offered bolstered Carols
decision to go over to the Nazi-Fascist
camp.
Carol has none of the forceful charac-
teristics which make q Mussolini or a
Kemal Pasha or a Chang Kai-shek He
is greedy for power and personal gain yet
hesitates to take them, as advised to do
by his German friends, because the Ru-
manian politicians have sold him the idea
that the Western democracies are still
strong and will have the last word in world
affairs
The Panay incident occurred about q
week before the Rumanian elections which
defeated the Tatarescu government on De-
cember 20. Immediately Carol was urged
fo 70 Ia tha h,,11 h1,% %lo
q totalitarian form of government. Yet,
personal reports from his representative
in Washington led him to believe that
Americas attitude toward Japan would be
q stern one. Carol was informed that the
United States would demand such definite
guarantees for the future that the power
of the weakest link in the Rome
Toxic chain would be broken. He was told
that if Japan refused to give such definite
promises there will be fireworks in the
Pacific, fireworks provided by Great Britain
and the United States" 1t was intimated
to the Rumanian King that naval demon
stration was then inevitable And his min
ister in London confirmed the Washington
dispatches.
Between Devil and Sea.
The German minister in Bucharest, on
the other hand. was whispering into Carols
other ear. He advised the Rumanian
monarch not to believe those bedtime
stories. He told him that the primary OBJ
ject of every democratic government was to
keep peace at any price. and naval dem
onstration would inevitably involve a risk Of
war. Consequently, the American Govern
ment would not chance such venture.
Carol found himself between the devil
and the deep blue sea. He dared not Jump
either way. So he sat tight and waited
Five days after the Rumanian elections, the
wireless brought him the news that the
German minister had been right. Octavian
Goga was Immediately summoned and en-
powered to form a nationalist dictatoriol
anti-Semitic cabinet.
Goga is a delicate poet with soulful
cent Of the seats in parliament at the De-
cember elections. Politically, he has al
ways been in the German camp A Tran
sylvanian by birth he was strongly pro-
German during the World War; Later,
when Hitler came to power, Goga became
an ardent admirer of the Reichsfuehrer.
To every party week" at Nuremberg he
went each year or sent q representative.
When he attended the meetings himself
he was received by Hitler with the same
NJ off ,daH
to his Czechoslovakian henchman, Hen
lein.
Carol Preferred Goga.
In Rumania there are two Nazi parties:
Goga's, the less important one, and the
Iron Guards, more numerous and more
vociferous. Carol preferred Goga as his
Premier because the others pushed their
anti-Semitism to point which Carol could
not accept. They wanted him to get rid
Of Magda Lupescu, who is only a neo-
Aryan. Magda's father is of the Jewish
race, but he embraced Christianity before
his daughters birth. Her mother was a
Catholic According to the rules set forth
by Der Fuehrer and accepted by the Ru-
manian Iron Guards, Magda should share
the fate Of the other Jews who will be
compelled to abandon their Rumanian
homes under the new rule.
But Magda is not only "the woman
love" Of the Rumanian king. She is Carols
brain trust. She Is his business associate
and political adviser. All the "transac-
tions" which are being put over by big
business, especially in connection with
armament, are discussed and sealed in the
drawing room of the Kings favorite. It
is she who, during the last five years. has
helped to swell His Majesty's bank roll
Even in totalitarian states certain COM
promises are made with party doctrines.
And since COCA was willing to close his
eyes to Magda's race and tolerate her-a
few trips abroad would be necessary At
drst-he Was called to rule Rlnania in
the name Of the King instead Of the more
powerful but uncompromising Iron Guards
What happens internally in Runaania Is
Of definite significance to other countries
and especially to the United States The
expulsion, Of several hundred thousand
Jews - many Of them loyal and useful
citizens-is being deplored everywhere. A
substantial part Of the 100000 Hebrews
who live in that country will be forced to
take the hard road to exile leaving their
ifetime's savings behind. Men who here