RUMANIA'S POLICY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17073, 24 January 1916, Page 6

RUMANIA'S POLICY.

AxxoujrcEMEXTs- regarding the intentions oi the Rumanian nation in connection with the war are received with a good deal of caution nowadays, for Rumania has been prolific of promises and assurances which have not materialised. The statement of "a prominent member of the Cabinet" that Rumania will side with the Allies "at the right moment," together with other cable mes-

sages which indicate a friendly understanding between Rumania Allies, may be taken as evidence of a concerted attempt to persuade the British, and possibly the French leaders'that Rumania is getting ready to step into line with the foes of the Central Powers. Such stories have been ■ ■periodically in circulation almost since the outbreak of war. The first version of Rumania's position was that she would take the held when Italy made a move, a sufficiently plausible plea in view of the close relationship that existed between Italy and Rumania. But when Italy moved and Rumania remained inert, another key had to l>c found to the political position. • The , only definite statement that has been made so far regarding,the intentions of Rumania was that of the Greek statesman, M. Venezelos, who declared that he had made proposals for concerted Balkan action on the side of the Allies, and that Rumania had agreed to cooperate with Greece in joining the Allies provided . Bulgaria moved simultaneously with them. There is an abundance of evidence, however, that til© explanation of Rumania's policy is essentially an economic one. So far as js known, Rumania has observed a position of neutrality, even to the extent of refusing Austria the use of her railways for the transport of arms and munition? Austria, by way of reprisal, refused to supply waggons for the transport of grain purchased by Bulgaria and Serbia, grain, by the way,, which was apparently sold to German and Austrian agents. The refusal was not persisted in, because the Central Powers urgently needed the grain. Rumania has an annual grain surplus valued at about £21,000,000, and the closing of the Dardanelles meant that she must either sell to Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey, or store her grain at a loss. Two; months ago it Has stated.that Germany had concluded negotiations for the purchase of the whole of Rumania's surplus wheat for the present year. It is a significant fact that Germany's wheat imports in the year before the war were valued at £2i;SCO,OCO, in. round figures. Rumania's exportable grain would just about fill this deficiency, assuming that Germany bad failed to get grain elsewhere. The statement that.. Britain has purchased £10,000,000 worth of the present season's wheat, roughly onehalf the output, without the remotest prospect, so far as present appearances go. of getting delivery of iti before the end of the war, suggests that the object of the purchase is to prevent the grain falling into the hands of Germany or , Austria or both. Such a course would be a very natural development of the closer blockade policy, and should considerably intensify the food shortage with which the Central Powers are at present, by all accounts, contending.