The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1916. A NEW ALLY.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2863, 30 August 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1916. A NEW ALLY.

The intervention of Rumania is an event, which, is bound to influencethe main tr,<md of tho war in a far greater degree than is measured by the immediate accession of strength to the' Allies. It is well within the jaws, .to say that the appearance of this new Ally in the hold at once elevates tho Allied campaign in the .Balkans into an enterprise of vital importance which may yet develop as the master-stroko of "the war. As a result of Rumania's action the JUhcs are not only reinforced by a ,woll-organised army of something oyer half a million men, but are givena 'commanding strategic position in, the Balkans which, with i i,i Preponderating strength, snoiutl mako the. speedy conquest of the Peninsula a- comparatively |tmple imattor. The conquest of ■line Balkans and the isolation of Turkey would represent, only a partial and preliminary realisation of the prospects now visibly opened. Succeeding to this extent, the Allies would be splendidly placed to direct a Wow at the very heart of tho Austrian Empire. And the collapse of Austria is probably the short cut to the end of the war. How far and how rapidly these prospects will be realised depends upon the operation of many detail factors, but in its broad lines the situation is full of promise, and the Balkan camPitfgn must undoubtedly be regarded henceforth as a, serious contribution to the general Allied offensive which has already told heavily upon tho enomy in tho two main theatres and on the Italian front. Now that she has taken the fateful step it must be admitted that Rumania ' has chosen her moment well, and in this fact there is perhaps to be found some answer to 'past criticisms of her cautious neutrality. It is plain enough that Rumania has shaped her policy since the war began with a constant eyo to the main chance, but in doing so she has suffered no loss of dignity, and is open to nopositivo reproach. Every country is bound to regard its own interests, and no more is to be said against Rumania than that she shrank from entering tho war at a time when that course would have involved serious dangers as well as hope of profit. Indeed, even this statement is subject to somo modification. Cautious as. her policy has been, Rumania long ago ,made her sympathies apparent. Erom the, beginning she closed her territory to the passage of enemy supplies, and so, in effect, lent material assistance to in their operations against Tufkey. At a later stage Rumania left the passage of the Danube open to tho enemy, but by that time tho Teutonic League was practically in full command of the Balkan corridor. It goes far to silence criticism of Rumania that she has entered the war at a time when it is still quite open to her to striko for the liberatibn of her Transylvanian kindred, and when her assistance is still of immenso value to the Allies in their task of bringing the Central Empires to. defeat. At present we know very little about the terms on which Rumania has joined the Allies, but sho has no doubt been given a free hand so far as Transylvania is concerned, and it is possiblo that somo portion of Bukowina.is also included in the bargain. Ozernowitz, tho .capital of the crownland, is practically a Rumanian town. The fact that thero are some four million Rumanians at present living in Austro-Hungar-ian territory, and the deliberation with which Rumania has made' her olection, should dispose in advance of the suggestion which will no doubt bo mado that sho has been dragooned into the war by the Allies.

At time of writing it is known that Rumania has declared war on Austria and that Germany Has declared war on Rumania. There is no news yet of the inclusion of Bulgaria in the number of Rumania's antagonists. The reason for this may perhaps be found in the possibility which has recently been hinted at of Bulgaria desiring to drop out of the struggle. If there , is any truth in this story—and it

is by no means unlikely—then tho action of Rumania in joining forces with tho Allies might well bo the deciding factor in inducing Bulgaria to take the stop, and in tho mcantimo Rumania might well refrain from a formal declaration of war against her. The situation in Greece also must bo materially affected in favour of the Allies by tho action of Rumania. It may be taken for granted that Rumania has entered the war under the conditions as to unity of control which [increasingly dominate tho Allied [operations, and have been most recently exampled in the Italian declaration of war on Germany and the dispateh of Italian and Russian troops to Salonika. Some reference has been made to the effect which Rumanian intervention will have upon the military situation, but account must bo taken, also, of its moral effect upon the population of tho Central Empires. This will undoubtedly be great, and especially so in the caso of • Austria-Hun-gary. Possession of tho Balkan corridor and a clear road to the East have been dangled before the eyes of the Austrian and German populations as tho richest reward of their sacrifices in tho war. Tho awakening from dreams of this kind will be painful, and will operate upon Teutonic confidence in a way that should materially, lighten the task of tho Allies.