More Carol-ings

Birthday. At Sinaia, some 75 miles north of Bucharest, capital of Rumania, in the Royal Palace, Michael I, World's youngest king, celebrated the sixth anniversary of his birth. All year long he has been a good boy. His mother, Princess Helene, wife of the errant and onetime Crown Prince Carol, said so. And so blue-eyed "Mickey," as he is called within the court, received lots of presents. It is usual to say that the little boy-king prefers his toys to his throne--that it is usual when newspaper correspondents have nothing else to say; for it is not to be supposed that a mere child has any feeling about a throne and therefore cannot have any predilections in that direction, On his birthday, certainly, his toys were his only thought.

Arrest. The week's Rumanian furore started when the prime minister, John Bratiano, the actual ruler of Rumania, caused one M. Manoilescu, onetime (1926-27) undersecretary of finance under the Averescu government, to be arrested. M. Manoilescu was carrying five identical letters from Ex-Crown-Prince Carol to the principal party chiefs in Rumania, including M. Bratiano.

In addition M. Manoilescu carried a letter from the prince to his mother, Dowager Queen Marie, who was reported to have been greatly angered when informed that M. Bratino had dared to open it. Also, he was alleged to have with him a photostat of a document signed by his late father, King Ferdinand, in which it is said that the monarch advised M. Bratiano to recall Carol if he showed signs of being worthy of trust.

Onetime Prime Minister General Alexanderu Averescu announced his intention of defending his former subordinate, M. Manoilescu, in his trial before a court-martial, charged with high treason.

Martial Law. News of the arrest caused great political excitement in the kingdom and especially in Transylvania, where the Carolists are most numerous. Declaring emphatically that the dynasty question was settled and could not be reopened, Prime Minister Bratiano proclaimed martial law throughout the land. All public building were occupied by troops, numerous arrests were made, the frontiers were closed, telephone and telegraph services were suspended and the censorship was tightened. Newspapers reverted to their old custom of leaving blank spaces in their columns in place of news forbidden by the censors, no mention of the name of Carol, either orally or in writing, being permitted. Still, despite repeated official denials, a fierce agitation, centering about Carol's return, was reported to be growing.

Robbery. The scene shifts to Paris, where, at No. 126 Boulevard Bineau, Neuilly, onetime Crown Prince Carol resides. Just last week the Prince came home from his newly purchased villa in the Orne Valley to discover that two weeks ago a considerable amount of his correspondence had been stolen. The fact that money and jewelry had not been touched argued a political theft, and it was assumed in diplomatic circles that the Rumanian Consulate knew more about the stealing than it was willing to confess.

It appeared that Carol's valet, knowing his master's fiery temper, had concealed all knowledge of the theft. He had, two weeks previously, he said, been accosted on the street by an extraordinarily goodlooking young woman. She had invited him to dine and presumably to wine. He accepted the invitation. . . . Next morning, the valet continued, he woke up with a bad headache to discover that the correspondence, including his own, was gone. His letters were subsequently returned, except one which contained the names of people who had visited the Prince at his Orne Villa,

Rumors. Many rumors circulated. One was that Prince Stirbey, great and good friend of Dowager Queen Marie, had several times carried letters for her to Paris.

It was also said that the Rumanian government had politically and officially hinted to the Government of France that it would be glad if Prince Carol were removed from French soil, pointing out that it was anomalous for the Republic to harbor a Prince who was plotting against a friendly state.

Hearing this, it was said that Prime Minister Benito Mussuloni of Italy had forthwith wired to Prince Carol offering him asylum on Italian soil, the inference of course being that Italy's aspirations in the Balkans would benefit if Carol were recalled to Rumania as King.

Last week, it was reported that Princess Helene and Prince Carol would meet in Florence, Italy, some time during this month. This was intended to be construed that the royal couple had decided to become reconciled, which event would, according to this interpretation, foreshadow the early return to Bucharest of Prince Carol.

Significance. Censorship veiled conditions in Rumania to such an extent that prognostication seems impossible. However, it is known that disatisfaction in that country is such that all the opposition parties are only too glad to hang their hats on the Carplist peg in order to oust Prime Minister Bratiano and what they call his corrupt regime. The Carolist movement in Rumania may be seen, therefore, in the light of an anti-Bratiano rather than a pro-Carol move. If this be true, anything may happen, and not the least possible is the recall of the onetime Crown Prince.