"FINISHING THE WAR."

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1917, Page 7

"FINISHING THE WAR."

HOW RUMANIA WAS BETRAYED BY RUSSIA. I It ii now learned that the unexpected collapse of Rumania almost immediately after her entry into the war was doe to the deliberate betrayal by the then Russian Prime Minuter, Boris Stunner. j Rumania was practically forced into the war at Russia's bidding, and was told officially that she could rely upon her neighbor and ally for both men and munitions. Neither were forthcoming, and Falkenhayn's armies swept through the province of Wallachia almost unchecked. Nor was the treachery confined solely to the Russian bureaucrats. Mr Carl W. Aekerraan, who, now that be is out of Germany, can speak freely, has placed it on record that while he was with the German armies in Rumania he taw the Rumanian battle plans, which had been communicated in advance to the Germans. These allegations of treachery are no mere newspaper speculations, for no less a person than General Uiescu, the former Chief of the Rumanian Staff, roundly charges that "the defeat of Rumania waß torseen and organised" by the pro-Ger-man Russian Premier, Boris Sturmer, "who wished to finish the war." In an interview given to a correspondent of the Pari* "Matin' the General said:

"Rumania had been equipping and reorganising her army, which was to be increased from 180,000 to 820,000 men (including 500,000 combatants), but owing to difficulties of transport and communication she was still not ready to enter the war in July, 1910. The Sturmer Ministry insisted, however, on her entering. To the demand by Rumania that Russia should provide 200,000 soldiers for the Dobrudja to secure Rumania from an attack by Bulgaria, Mr Sturmer replied that 20,000 men would be ample to make a political demonstration, and declared that the i Bulgarians would never be willing to fight against Russia. The long interview given by General lliescu is conveniently summarised by the New Europe, which thus continues i the story:

"Twice Russia was requested by the Rumanian General Staff to take Rustchuk, which would have protected Bucharest, but this action was declined in order not to offend Bulgaria. Besides, the Rumanian armies in Transylvania were to link up with a Russian advance from Dorna Vatra in the Bukowina, but those troops never moved and are still there. Mr Sturmer never

intended that they should move, in spite of the assurances he gave to Rumania and to France, says General lliescu. After fighting for 40 days in the passes

tbe Rumanian armies had to fall back before superior forces. Mr Sturmer wished to allow Rumania to be invaded as far as the Sereth, to allow the military triumph of the Central Powers, and then to conclude a separate peace in consequence of a defeat which tie would .represent as a Rumanian and not a fiusiian defeat. Rumania was beaten because her armies were less well armed

than those of the enemy, "but the initial cause of our dn.at was the disloyal plan of the Germanophile Government of Petrogrsd, who played with the fate of Rumania to facilitate a premeditated act of treachery. There is one of the ituponderabilia which no Rumanian, French, or English diplomat would have been able to foresee, but this was our rain."

The general's statements are confirmed by a prominent Rumanian advocate, Mr C. Commeianu, who was in Russia when Rumania was in the darkest days of defeat. Writing in the Gazette de Lausanne, he savs:

"The treachery of those in power in Petrograd has been a secret to nobody in Rumania. For three months we have all been aware of the facts. Imy sell but December had a flagrant proof. On my journey from Jassy to Petrograd I observed at many stations long forgotten on the siding* numberless trains | loaded with guns and aeroplanes, and an I enormous mass of war material bearing the risible inscription: "Consignment from the Munitions (or War) Ministry." Surprised to ftee all these trains im-

mobilised in the stations at the very time that our army was crying out for these guns and aeroplanes and munitions with the passion of despair I made inquiries of the employees of the stations at Tirespol, Kief, Moghilef, etc. Everywhere 1 received the stereo-typed answer: ''Government orders came to hold up this transport." But even in well-informed quarters in Rumania it was not realised before the month of October that Stunner had betrayed us. It seems to have been General Berthelot, the head of the French Mission to Rumania, who was the first to say to King Ferdinand, a few days after his arrival: "Sire, we have been betrayed, and the treason comes from 'Petrograd." This writer says that Germany chose the moment of Rumania's entry into the war, applying the necessary pressure through Sturmer: "In particular, we learned that the peremptory summons (i.e., the quasiultimatum) for Rumania's intervention, hie et nunc, that was made in somewhat menacing terms by the Allies last July had been solely inspired by the Petrograd Cabinet, that Mr Sturmer had obeved the suggestions of the Cabinet of the Wllhelmstresse, and that it was Oennany—what a paradox'.—which desired Rumanian intervention to take place at that particular time. Hungarians and Bulgars had been showing figns of weariness toward the end of laet spring, and had displayed a tendency toward independence." Germany, it seems, knew that Rumania would intervene sooner or later, and so manoeuvred that the event should occur when it would do least harm.

THE PRICE OF RUSSIAN PERFIDY

By Stunner's Russo-German peace, Rumania was to be divided between Russia and Austria; Russia was to annex Moldavia, wliile Austro-Huneary was to take Wallachia. That, in fhort. was why the armies of Falkenhayn and Mackensen came to a stop at the Sereth River.