Naughty Nicholas

What would U. S. citizens have read in their papers yesterday if editors knew that, beginning tomorrow, all U. S. newsorgans would be under iron censorship?

In Bucharest last week the editors of Lupta and Taranismul (antiRoyalist newsorgans) were at such a zero hour. Next day there would go into effect a law providing jail sentences for printing "any derogatory reference or report concerning the Royal Family." What should be the editors' last unmuzzled words?

Prince Carol, Queen Marie and Prince Nicholas of Rumania are beyond question the three most notorious royal persons now alive. Volumes could be filled with absolutely truthful statements about them which, under Rumanian law, cannot now be printed without risking jail. The problem faced by the editors of Lupta and Taranismul was thus one of selection.

They decided to concentrate on Prince Nicholas, presumably because he is one of the three regents of Rumania, whereas Queen Marie has no official power. Leaning over backward, they printed nothing about H.R.H.'s morals, confined their last free words to his scandalous practices in respect to motor cars.

Three years ago, after Prince Nicholas and Queen Marie returned 'from the U. S., H.R.H. began to dash about Bucharest with extreme speed and recklessness. In Rumania most people with automobiles are rich, and most rich people will not complain if their cars are dented or partially smashed by royalty. Indeed there is some swank in saying: "You see that dent? That's where Prince Nicholas sideswiped me!"

But at last H.R.H. plumped full into a taxi and the driver started to argue. Next day all Bucharest knew that Royalty had knocked the plebian down, kicked him below the belt and had then departed, leaving others to carry the driver to a hospital. So disturbing to Rumania's politics was this scandal that the Government provided Prince Nicholas with a special horn, at the sound of which all other motorists must now give way, as to a fire engine.* Since then H.R.H. has had no more motoring accidents. But the scandal has not subsided, and last week Lupta and Taranismul fired this final shot:

They reported that Prince Nicholas, while out hunting on his Scroviste Castle estate, became so infuriated when two officials of the Ministry of Agriculture whizzed past him raising a cloud of dust, that he forced them to enter the Castle and descend to its dungeons, where he locked them up.

Lupta and Taranismul printed that the officials had every right to enter the royal estate, which they had been ordered by the Minister of Agriculture to survey. To get them out of their dungeons it was necessary for Prime Minister Juliu Maniu and two members of his Cabinet to go to Scroviste Castle and argue for two hours with Nicholas.

Four days later Prince Nicholas went motoring again but this time the law was in effect. Lupta and Taranismul printed not a word. Careening down Bucharest's Buzetis Street he caught the wife of one Major Georgescu neatly on his mudguard, tumbled her in the gutter. In rage. Major Georgescu smashed the car's window with his riding crop, then suddenly recognizing the Prince, stopped, saluted. Flushed with anger, Prince Nicholas ordered the Major to three weeks' house arrest. Major Georgescu's commanding officer, General Vavrescu. further ordered him to apologize to Prince Nicholas in person.

* For motor-horn news from Finland.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.