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RUMANIA.

(Romania) Reigning King.

Ferdinand I. Kiugof Rumania, born August 24, 1S65, nephew of the late King Carol, whom he succeeded on October 11, 1914. Married, January 10, 1893, to Princess Marie, daughter of the Duke of Saie-Coburg and Gotha, born October 29, 1875.

Children of the King .— (1) Carol, born October 15, 1893, Crown Prince, married March 10, 1921, to Princess Helen of Greece; (2) Elisabeth, born October 11, 1894 ; (3) Marie, born January 8, 1900 ; (4) Nicholas, born August 18, 1903 ; (5) Ileana, born January 5. 1909.

The King has, in addition to revenues from certain Crown lands, an annual allowance of 2,500,000 lei, or 100.000Z. The heir to the crown has an annual donation of 300,000 lei (12,000/.).

The union of the two Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia was publicly proclaimed at Bucharest and Jassy on Dec. 23, 1861, the present name being given to the united provinces. The first ruler of Rumania was Colonel Cuza, who had been elected ' Hospodar, ' or Lord, of Wallachia and of Moldavia in 1859, and who assumed the government under the title of Prince Alexandru Joan I. A revolution which broke out in February 1866 forced Prince Alexandru Joan to abdicate, and led to the election of Prince Carol L The representatives of the people, assembled at Bucharest, proclaimed Rumania's independence from Turkey, May 21, 1877, which was confirmed by Art. 43 of the Congress of Berlin, signed July 13, 1878. King Carol I. reigned as Prince from 1866 to 1881, and as King from 1881 to 1914. In March, 1918, Bessarabia was joined to Rumania ; Bukovina in November, 1918 ; and Transylvania in December, 1918.

Constitution and Government.

The Constituent Assembly elected in May and June, 1920, for United Rumania by universal, direct, and secret suffrage will have to unify the different constitutions of the Old Kingdom, Bessarabia, Bukovina, aud Transylvania. The constitution of the Old Kingdom, which was voted in 1866 and twice modified, once in 1879 and again in 1884, provided for a Legislature of two Houses. The Senate consists (March, 1920) of 170 members (Old Kingdom, 82 ; Transylvania, 45 ; Bessarabia, 24 ; and Buk- ovina, 19), including 4 for the Universities and 19 Bishops. The Heir to the Crown is also a Senator. The Chamber of Deputies consists of 347 members (Old Kingdom, 168 ; Transylvania, 112 ; Bessarabia, 51 ; and Bukovina, 16). A Senator must be 40 years of age, and a Deputy 25. Members of either House must be Rumanians by birth or naturalisation, in full enjoyment of civil and political rights, and domiciled in the country. All citizens of 21 years, paying taxes, are electors. Both Senators and Deputies receive 160 lei per each day of actual attendance, besides 2000 lei per month and free railway passes. The King has a suspensive veto over all laws passed by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The executive is vested in a council of Ministers.

The elections held on June 6, 1920, resulted in the return of the following parties: — Peoples' Party, 215; Federal Democrats, 34; Bessarabi.in Peasants, 25 ; Transylvauian Nationalists, 21 ; Socialists, 19 ; Independent Demo- crats, C : other parties, 12.