The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1927. THE NEW RUMANIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 July 1927, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1927. THE NEW RUMANIA.

Delivered every evening hy 5 o’olook in Hawera, Manaia. Norrnanby, Okaiavsu Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga. Alum Hurley villa, Patea, Waveriey, Mukoia. Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere Fraser Koad and Ararnta

Democrntic government is a new institution in Rumania. Tt was only some six or seven years ago that universal male suffrage was introduced. The population is, however, uneducated to a large extent and illiterate to an extent almost as large. It may be gathered from recent cable messages that the Government was distrustful of 1 lie manner iii which an electorate of this character would record its vote at the general election that has just been held. Reports reached England of extraordinary steps that were taken to ensure the continuance of AI. Bratiano in power. Wrapped up with (lie issue of the general election was

tlic very ticklish question of the succession to the throne, regarding which there are acknowledged to be dangerous possibilities. It is difficult to imagine, however, that the gravity of this matter was likely to be lessened by the adoption of a policy of suppressing Opposition meetings., of imprisoning candidates, and of calling voters up for military service s-o that they might be disfranchised. Measures of this kind which can only have the effect of driving underground the prosecution, of activities that might be more effectively mot if they were conducted openly, hardly suggest that the Western system of popular government has been successfully transplanted to Eastern Europe. A writer in the Nineteenth Century, referring to the fact that Rumania is now separated from Soviet Russia by the Dniester, describes this river as being the frontier not only between two countries but between two different worlds and two utterly different conceptions of life. Broadly this description may be accepted as apt and true. The statement, however, by the writer that “on one side we find the old conception of a gradual evolution of humanity bv peaceful and constitutional means, and on the other a new conception working through destruc--1 ion, violence, and terror” tempts the observation that a sharp departure from constitutional means was involved in the repressive policy that is said to have been adopted by the Government during the election, which has resulted in its securing an overwhelming majority. It may be surmised, however, that the manifestations which the Government considered it necessary to stamp under foot were in considerable degree being engineered from without. The restoration of Bessarabia to Rumania has excited the envy of neighbouring countries. The Soviet has attempted to create trouble in the restored province through the employment of its favourite weapon of terrorism. The comparative failure of methods of violence has led to the abandonment of them and to the use, instead, of the more insidious weapon of propaganda, for the dissemination of which it hires its agents. Although there is said to be no one more opposed to Soviet rule than the Russian minority in Bessarabia, and although the Rumanian peasants as a class, no matter of what nationality, are credited with having no wish for Bolshevism, propaganda such as the Soviet, with no particular scruples as to how it shall act, diligently practices may have exceedingly mischievous effects upon an ignorant people.