Evening star., 1939-03-18
Carol Determined j..
To Resist Hitler,
Democracies Told .
Rumonion King Is Said
To Think Reich Force
Can Be Broken
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
The get out of my way or
else = = ." warning received by the
Rumanian government from the
Reich is believed In informed Dip
lomatic circles here to have been
one of the principal causes which
determined Premier Chamberlain to
junk his "appeasement at any price"
policy.
Rumanian representatives in Lon
don, Paris and Washington and
foreign diplomats in Bucharest have
informed the principal democratic
governments that King Carol and
his advisers were determined to re-
sist by force any attempt of the
Germans to interfere with Ru-
mania's political independence.
King Carols ENJOYS, in explaining
the attitude of their King, point out
that Hitler's remarkable victories
and bloodless conquests are due to
the fact that the other nations seem
hypnotized by Germany's military
power and yield without even at
tempting to test Germany's military
machinery.
Carol, German by descent him.
self, is determined to give the
Reich's military might a trial. He
does not expect to be able to re-
sist the powerful legions of Hitler's,
but believes that Rumania's sacri-
flee will make greater and more
powerful nations realize that there
is something in the old militaristic
saying of dying with honor"
Believes Drive Could BE Broken.
Carol is firmly convinced that had
Czecho-Slovakia, despite the pres
sure brought upon her last Sep
tember to yield for the sake of Eu-
ropes peace, resisted the German
demands, Hitler would not have
had such an easy time and his
drive to dominate Europe would
have been broken. Czecho- -Slova-
kia's sacrifice, the Rumanian King
Is convinced, would have done more
for Europe's peace than the ap-
peasement policy which, Mr.. Cham
berlain pointed out yesterday, proved
such bitter disappointment.
Rumania has incurred Hitler's ire
ever since King Carol broke up the
Iron Guards by executing the leader,
Zelea Codreano, and his principal
associates. German diplomats in
Bucharest made it clear that unless
Carol plays the Reich's game-re-
gardless of what he may think the
interests of his country are-Ru-
mania would suffer the fate of
Czecho-Slovakia.
To these threats, Carol replied
that he would not be intimidated
and that Rumania, while willing to
cooperate economically with the
Reich. was unwilling to abdicate
her sovereignty and if this were
threatened she would defend her
freedom.
Army Has No Illusions.
Rumanian high-ranking army
officers have no illusions about the
ultimate fate of the Rumanian army
in a war against Germany. The
army appears efficient and well
commanded, but it lacks up-to-date
equipment.
But" one of King Carols high
ranking officers told me last jan
uary, "the Rumanian armies have
been defeated and crushed before.
This country has been in the path
of the barbaric hordes which have
invaded Europe since its beginnings
as nation. They have all come
and gone; many of these hordes
have disappeared, but Rumania still
exists. We are willing to take a
chance once more and stop Hitler's
eXpansionist movement. The Ger
mans occupied and transformed this
country into a German province as
recently as in 1918. But they did not
stay long. If our sacrifice will serve
the purpose of stopping Hitler in his
path it will be worth while"
Rumanian diplomats in the prin-
cipal capitals have made it known
to the governments to which they
are accredited that Carol is definite
ly resolved to fight any German in
vasion regardless of consequences.
Strategic Position Bad.
| Rumanias strategic position is
bad. The Hungarians in the west
and the Bulgarians in the south
have both territorial claims on Sec
tions of the country which were in
corporated into the present king
dom after the World War. It is
more than likely that should Hitler
decide to punish Carol he will ad-
wise the Bulgarians and the Hun
garians to 60 into that country with
their military forces and take what
ever they believe is theirs.
Thus Rumania is faced, in the
event of a break with Hitler, with
an attack from the south in the
Dobrudja, one from Hungary in
Pennsylvania and finally with the
German armies, which can be sent
into the country now through what
used to be Czecho-Slovakia.
RumAnia's only neighbor which
might prove of any real assistance
is Poland. But in view of present
Polish German relations there are
certain doubts as to how far the
Polish government would be willing
to assist its ally.
ICivic Forum to Meet