RUMANIA’S KING.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18170, 7 November 1930, Page 3

RUMANIA’S KING.

BASELESS RUMOURS. dJt' CAROL AND HIS'DIVORCE. STORIES REFUTED. (From a Correspondent.) \ 9 SOFIA, September 28. In a section of the British and foreign Press there have been .disquieting rumours during recent weeks concerning the progress of the reconciliation between King Carol 11. and his former wife, Princess Helena. Rumours were current in July that Mdlle. Madge Lupescu, the attractivelooking Rumanian lady with the Titian-red hair, had suddenly returned to Bucharest. Lately there have been persistent rumours that, owing to the impossibility of a reconciliation between the King and his divorced wife, Carol now intends to make Mile. Lupescu his morganatic wife. These reports have not the least foundation in truth. Mdlle. Lupescu has not been in Rumania since King Carol’s return. She has been staying J in Switzerland. In July, just when the big headlines were announcing Mile. Lupescu’s return to Rumania, your correspondent saw her in a fashionable Swiss spa, where she played in the Kursaal and was apparently enjoying her stay. It would be- quite easy to trace her movements; she is still staying in fashionable hotels in Interlaken and other places, and can be seen night after night either in the Kursaal or at various social gatherings. Then rumours began to be spread that in face of the complete failure of the reconciliation with his former wife Carol intended to . marry a French duchess. The name was mentioned, and there was only one difficulty—the duchess was already married. It is true that two years ago she was still eligible; the initiators of the rumours used an old Almanach de Gotha. The Family Party at Sinaia. One fact has undoubtedly helped all these speculations—the delay in the completion of the reconciliation between the King and his former wife. I am told by persons who have the opportunity of watching developments at the Rumanian Royal Court that the King’s intention was, from the very beginning, to hasten slowly with the reconciliation, as a slow and progressive establishment of friendship after four years of estrangement would be more convincing for the future queen, and would also, he thought, make a better impression abroad. But the reconciliation is apparently making favourable progress, as is shown by the fact that during his present stay in the summer palace of Pelesh at Sinaia Carol spent most of his time with his family. Pictures show him lunching and dining with Princess Helena and the Grand Voyevod Michael. They drove out together and were seen on several occasions laughing and very cheerful, apparently fully enjoying the family party. The rumours of a complete break between the King and his 'former wife were renewed when Princess Helena and her son. went to the royal castle at ; the seaside resort of Mamaia, on the Black Sea, while. King Carol remained in Bucharest. But it is an old-established habit of the Rumanian Royal Family to spend the first part of the summer in Sinaia amongst the refreshing and ozoniferou's pine forests of the Carpathians, and) in the second half of August, when the heat at the seaside in no longer unbearable, to spend the rest of the holidays in Mamaia. Carol had to remain in the capital for various State duties, amongst them the reception given to the admiral and officers of the British fleet in Bucharest, the discussions of plans for combating the agrarian crisis, and so on. If the rumours had had any truth in them it is certain that the King would not have permitted the heir to the throne to leave the cauital. Dictatorship Rumours. The fact that the coronation has been postponed until next spring has also been exploited as evidence of the breakdown of the reconciliation. But the reasons which determined the postponement are mainly ecenomic. Carol would, of course, like to have an impressive and pompous coronation at Alba Julia. But at present there is a serious agricultural crisis in Rumania, and he is making great endeavours to check the crisis. If they are successful and the great surplus of Rumanian grain can be favourably marketed abroad the prosperity of the Rumanian peasant could be restored and a splendid 'coronation ceremony would be better justified. The rumours of a dictatorship to be established by Carol probably belong to the same category of baseless speculation. If King Carol had intended to create a dictatorship he would have done so immediately after his return. But since the reconciliation with the Liberals of M. V. Bratianu there is no apparent reason for the establishment of an open dictatorship. The situation is very different from that in Jugo-Slavia two years ago. There is a Parliament and a Parliamentary Government with which the ' King can work in full accord. Besides, if a Rumanian king wants to act as a dictator he has already ample prerogatives to enable him to do so. King Carol’s father did so repeatedly by simply dismissing a Government which had a great majority in Parliament and appointing a Premier from the opposing camp. A Premier has always a good chance of winning the elections in Rumania. But there is not the slightest sign that King Carol 11. entertained the thought of abandoning the «path of democracy. It is another matter that for the coronation celebrations King Carol may desire that a concentration Government should take over the power instead of the present Peasant Party Government. But this would be intended only I to emphasise Rumanian unity before the world.