ROUMANIA: Carol v. Bratiano

The national Assembly met early in the week to consider the bill accepting Crown Prince Carol’s renunciation of his rank (TIME, Jan. 11) and elevating Carol’s four-year-son Michel to the state of heir apparent. After prolonged debate, the opposition decided to abstain from voting as a protest against the Government’s action in taking no steps toward conciliating Carol, and the bill then passed with the “unanimous vote” of those who voted at all. In its final form the measure created a prospective Regency, consisting of Prince Nicholas (the King’s second son), Patriarch Miron Cristea of the Roumanian Orthodox Church, and President Crifore Buzdugan of the Supreme Court. This trinity of regents will function in the event that King Ferdinand dies before Crown Prince Michel becomes of age at 18.

Upon this unromantic substratum of fact, correspondents erected a gorgeous superstructure of rumor, to delight the credulous:

Carol’s Whereabouts. The Hotel de la Ville, Milan, figured in almost all despatches as the hostelry at which Carol is supposed to be staying with an auburn-haired Roumanian Jewess, “Mme. Magda Lupescu,” who allegedly occupies the room next to his own. A correspondent cabled that she had revealed her identity to him as follows: “They who know both me and my family are aware who I am.”

The game thus started continued throughout the week and reached a notable climax: “Mme. Lupescu experienced a slight fever one evening. . . . Prince Carol dashed out post haste to buy a thermometer, in order to assure himself that her condition was not serious. . . . She placed the instrument under her armpit for ten minutes, when the reading was found not to be alarming.”

Carol’s Position. It was alleged that Carol’s title was officially changed to M. Scarlat Mondstireanu,” a name supposed to have been coined to avoid his going about as “M. Hohenzollern -Signaringen,” the “family name” of the Roumanian Royal House.

Much was made of the fact that Premier Jon Bratiano is the son of the great Jon Bratiano who freed Roumania from Turkey. Queen Marie and Premier Bratiano were pictured luridly as twin malignant powers behind the throne, whose corrupt governing of Roumania had driven Carol to renounce his rights:

1) Because he intends to head a Roumanian Fascist uprising “to purge Roumania.”

2) Because he feared that Marie and Jon Bratiano intended at an early date to oust him as Crown Prince and have his brother Nicholas, “Queen Marie’s favorite son,” set up as Crown Prince in his place. This would have prevented Carol’s four-year-old son from becoming Crown Prince. To foil Marie and Bratiano in this design, Carol allegedly conspired with his father, “henpecked King Ferdinand,” to rush his renunciation through, and have the infant Prince Michel recognized as Crown Prince last week. The official Roumanian communiqué ran a poor third to these two brilliant efforts. It tiresomely stated that Carol’s renunciation had been made for “purely personal reasons unconnected with politics.” The communiqué was promptly hailed as proof positive that Premier Bratiano is attempting to cast slurs upon the pure flame of Carol’s patriotism by implying that he has “deserted his country for a strumpet.”