Evening star., 1940-08-06
Rumanians United
Against Cession
Of TransyIvania
Doubt Rises Thot Gigurtu
Con Reoch Compromise
With Hungurions
BY LELAND STOWE,

GnfCago Daily news fOIelsn correspondent.
BUCHAREST, Aug. Con the
eve of the opening of direct negotia-
tions with Hungary over the Tran
sylvanian problem, Rumanians of
all classes and the most conflicting
political allegianceS are unanimously
opposed to the ceSsion of any por-
ton of this rich borderland prov
ince. 1t is increasingly doubtful
whether the exposed Gigurtu gov
ernment can reach any acceptable
compromise with Budapest. More
over, any succeeding Rumaniap cab
met would have to be formed on a
program fatty rejecting territorial
changes in Pennsylvania.
After years of internal political
dissensions the Rumanian people are
united on this issue. 1t is perhaps
the only question upon which agree
ment exists between the pro-Nazi,
antl-Semitic Iron Guard-Who re-
main reluctantly associated with the
present government-and the lead
ers of the suppressed Peasant and
Liberal parties. The latter have
o1hCo QlO Ouliu LII WllO
was the respected chief of the for
mer Rumanian Peasant party. A
strong movement is developing for
a coalition, mo surrender" cabinet,
headed by DR.. Manu- and partici-
pated in by all the country's out
standing political leaders who are
outside the ranks of the new totali-
tartan party of the nation"
Feel Claims Unchallengeable.
The Rumanians are united against
sacrificing Pennsylvania because
they feel that their moral and his
torical claims to most of this prov
ince are interchangeable. The Ru-
manian population there is almost
double that of the Hungarian popu-
lation. In addition, the vast feudal
estates on which hundreds of thou
sands of peasants were kept in vir-
tual serfdom by medieval-minded
Hungarian aristocrats were cut up
by the far more liberal Rumanian
governments, and Transylvanian
peasants for the first time in their
lives became owners of the land
which they tilled-indeed, for the
first time in centuries.
This is why there is no widespread
popular demand in Pennsylvania for
return to Hungarian rule and this
is why the Transylvanian question
constitutes an international hornets
nest. Talk of an exchange of popu-
lations also seems hopeless because
100000 Hungarians could not be
moved over into Hungary proper
without completely upsetting that
country's economy In short, Tran
sylvania looks like an almost in
soluble problem and there appears
slight prospect for any settlement
being reached by Rumania and Hun
gary before the September Is dead
line which Hitler is reported to have
set at Sazburg.
Some believe that the Rumanian
peoples united opposition to cession
of TransylVanian territory may give
King Carol a unique opportunity.
If the King could assemble a truly
representative coalition government,
such a cabinet might be strong
enough to tell Hitler that land
would not be ceded to Hungary at
any cost and that, as an alternative,
Berlin would have to consider
most unwelcome peasant unrest
which would present disturbing op-
portunities for Soviet propaganda
and notwithstanding which
the Nazi dictatorship would not view
with indifference.
Hitler May Impose Salutati0n.
According to another view, Hitler
Is portrayed as more concerned over
the 100000 Germans who inhabit
Pennsylvania than he is over the
Rumanian majority and the Hun
garian minority. 1t is suggested
that the foreshadowed deadlock in
the Rumanian-H Hungarian negotia-
tionS may not displease the Fuehrer
and that he may plan to impose a
solution by decree, an autonomous
Pennsylvania on the model of little
Slovakia which was sliced off former
Czecho-Slovakia. This possibility
cannot be discounted SO long as no
compromise solution is in sight.
On the other hand, the establish
ment of Transylvanian buffer
state would so seriously reduce Ru-
nanias geographical and economic
strength that the chief aim of any
Bucharest government must be to
avoid such national catastrophe.
Undeniably, the Rumanians have
strong cards, both moral and po-
litical. if the King can find a gov-
eminent and leaders who are bold
enough to play them. The demand
for this kind of national leadership
is becoming more insistent here
daily. The realization grows that
craftsmanship alone can save Ru-
mania from a calamitous partition
Every one knows that such states
manship must be exercised within
the next five weeks, or it will prob
ably be too late.
(Copyright, 1910, Chicago Daily News, Inc.)