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Rumanians' Choice. Panic began to spread in Bucharest. Rumanian generals talked big about standing firm. They could not be sure how many Rumanian soldiers were listening. Other Rumanians frankly scuttled for cover.
Over London's BBC came stern Rumanian words, repeated again & again: "The hour of defeat is striking. . . . Rumania cannot play for time. . . . Break with Germany at once . . . [or] lose the power to act as an independent nation. Moscow's warning . . . London's warning . . . Cordell Hull's warning . . . [mean] the whole Rumanian people must, without an instant's delay, face the realities. . . . The Russians are on the Dniester." This week the Russians were not on but over the Dniester and the time for debate had passed. But to Envoy Extraordinary Prince Stirbey, lingering still in Cairo, it was never too late to deal.
*Bulgaria's late King Boris declined Ileana's proffered hand, said gossips, because of her resemblance to Prince Stirbey. So Ileana married Archduke Anton von Habsburg.