ROUMANIA NEARLY READY

Southland Times, Issue 17656, 14 February 1916, Page 2

ROUMANIA NEARLY READY

SYMPATHIES WITH ALLIES. TIME FOR WAR AT HAND. “We are firmly convinced that in a very short time Roumania will abandon her neutrality in favour of the Allies. We are almost ready. We can reckon our army at 600,000, and can bring it up to 1,100,000. The whole question, however, is one of munitions.” Such Is the opinion of a representative of the Roumanian Minister for War. who recently visited Russia. The Novoe Yrcmya, the leading newspaper of Russia, says;— “There has arrived at Petrograd, with a special mission from the Roumanian Minister for War, a personage who is a near relative of the Prime Minister, Bratiano. In an interview the representative of the Roumanian Ministry said: — “First of all I must declare to you that Roumanian in no event will go against the Powers of the Quadruple Entente. This perspect present itself as impossible, and it is quite wrong to start doubts of that kind in the Russian press and the community. Before us there is such an enemy as Hungary; and we all as one man recognise this: we all understand that the present war offers the possibility of realising our long - cberised hopes. There can be no talk whatever of any reconciliation with the Hungarian. We want Transylvania and the Banal. This is our fundamental object, and to this are directed the thought of our loading men. "You ask me why Roumania has not so far carried out her national programme? Why so advanced a statesman as Bratiano has not met the wishes of wide circles of the Roumanian community? In the first place I must say that the present European war caught ns Roumanians unprepared. From the military standpoint wo wore not prepared, ami consoqoucnlly the efforts of the Government had. first of nil, to be directed to the adoption of measures required to bring the army up to the necessary standard. Obviously that required no little time. “Lately the movement in favour of abandoning neutrality has fermented all classes of society. It stands on solid ground, and the public agitation must carry with it the head of the State and the Government. This is the deep conviction of all those who know Rouinania and arc in touch with all that is taking place there. “The whole army stands unreservedly on the side of Russia and France. The incredible propaganada of German agents which was carried on so persistently for many months In our army, had absolutely no success. * "We are all firmly convinced that in a very short time Roumania will abandon her neutrality in favour of the Allies; that wo do not admit the possibility of any other outcome, except in (he event of a coup d’etat hut that, under present conditions, appears impossible.”