RUMANIA’S DICTATOR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 76, 26 February 1938, Page 8

RUMANIA’S DICTATOR.

It seems that there can be variations in dictatorship, for we have had for some time M. Stalin, Herr Hitler, Signor Mussolini, and Kernel Aaturk, all of different types, and now we have a kingly dictator in Rumania, for King Carol, whose private affairs have provided the -world with sensational scandals, has taken over the government of the country, which he is to personally direct and control. The new Constitution has many good points, and if carried out in a spirit of conferring the greatest good on the greatest number, the change-over will benefit the people. Parliament is reorganised on a co-operative basis. Just exactly what is meant by co-opera-tion in this case is hard to determine. Continental legislators are quite different in scope and character from what we have been accustomed to. The Continental legislator is not pugnacious, but militant, with an easily disturbed temper, and is not conspicuous for political morality. The introduction of the cooperative system may be intended to eliminate party strife from the discussions. Women are now to be registered as voters, and the voting age is raised from 21 to 30 years. This seems a desirable innnovation for those who have just reached adolescence and are not endowed with political knowledge or sound judgment. Such young persons may be irresponsible and too many are disposed to cast their votes as they are told. At 30 one has had time to form opinions, and to judge more correctly. Equal rights are assured to minorities, which is one of the most satisfactory and commendable features of the new Constitution. Throughout dictator countries minorities live in terror. The Jews are in a minority in all European countries, and they have fared badly almost everywhere. There is another kind of minority that is treated with scant consideration —those who disagree with the powers that be. In Germany it is high treason to criticise the Nazi regime, and in Italy one must be a subservient Fascist or suffer severe penalties. To grant rights to minorities is to admit the liberty of the subject, and liberty and dictatorship cannot be made to run in double harness. In democratic countries the rights of minorities are violated in a subtle way through the policy of “spoils to the victor.” In the new Rumanian Constitution there is no mention of freedom of the Press, and it the Press is not to be free it is a fallacy to speak of the rights of minorities. It is the publicity m the newspapers that helps to assure the minorities their rights, otherwise .there would be no check on tyranny. All legislative power is vested in acting through a co-operative Parliament. 11 the King can compel the co-op-eration of Parliament, then Parliament is a farce. The King becomes a and it is a question whether King Carol is of the type of man who will insist upon justice and fair play all through.