CZECHOSLOVAKIA; and LITTLE ENTENTE). Relations with Russia remained, meanwhile, extremely strained, especially as Italy and Japan still hesitated to ratify the Bessarabian treaty. During 'On Dec. 9, 192o an infernal machine exploded in the Senate killing the bishop Radu and mortally wounding D. Grecianu (the Minister of Justice) and another senator.
Russia kept up continuous agitation and threat of war; for three days in 1924 there was even a communist republic at Tatarbunar in South Bessarabia. A conference with the Soviet representatives held in Vienna (March 27 to April 2, 1924) led to no result, al though an understanding was reached at Cetatea Alba to prevent incursions of Bolshevik bands.
The Bratianu Government.—Meanwhile, in 1921, the Lib erals recommenced an agitation for power. After the opening of Parliament in Nov. 1921, the king formally demanded a détente. General Averescu resigned, and after various combinations had been rejected, the king, wishing to maintain unity of direction, appointed J. J. Bratianu to office on Jan. 19, 1922. Bratianu, whose Liberals now comprised the bulk of the wealthy circles of Old Rumania, the Conservative Party as such having been swept out of existence owing to its Germanophile war policy, proposed at once to consolidate his party and to take exceptional measures, amounting to a dictatorship, to "save the country." He carried through forced elections. The Peoples Party, the Popular Transyl vanians, the Peasant Party and the Nationalist Democrats, who had opposed him, declared the Parliament illegal and all legisla tion passed by it null and void in their eyes, and abstained from voting. A party administration took office almost at once. The brother of the president of the council, Vintila Bratianu, was entrusted with the task of re-establishing order in the finances, which were endangered by the quantity of Treasury bonds and unfunded loans.
The Coronation and the Constitution.—The coronation of the king and queen, which had already been prepared for by the preceding Government, was carried through with ceremony by Bratianu. On Oct. 15, 1922, Ferdinand I. and Queen Marie as sumed the crowns of United Rumania at Alba Iulia, the Transyl vanians of the Opposition absenting themselves from the cere mony. The new law of the Constitution, debated by the National ist Democrats only, and with reservations, was adopted March 28, 1923. It was a reproduction of that of 1866, with the addition
of the election of deputies by universal suffrage, with a vague right of representation of electoral minorities, and adding to the Senate the old dignitaries and members of Parliament and repre sentatives of the Chambers of Commerce and Agriculture. The subsoil and forests were nationalized. The admission of Jews to citizen rights was incorporated in the constitution, but open competition with the. newcomers provoked violent trouble in the universities, which was exploited by certain politicians. In agra rian affairs, in labour questions, in military matters, and above all in foreign affairs, there were no innovations. In the financial sphere the position was long maintained of isolation towards foreign capital, which was excluded wherever possible, and only admitted under irritating restrictions for the exploitation of the oil-fields. The attempt to commercialize properties and State enter prises did not succeed.
The opposition, systematically divided, long remained sterile; but in March 1925 the Transylvanians united with the new "Na tionalist-Popular" group under the name of the National Party, and came to an understanding with the Peasant Party. The new coalition produced a programme based on concessions to the peas ants and national minorities, the abolition of arbitrary government and a revised financial policy. Violent attacks on the Government were launched in May and June, but suspended when it was thought that the Government would soon retire. The People's Party negotiated with the Liberals in the hope of forming the next government with their support. Nevertheless J. J. Bratianu wished to carry his reforms through to the end. The law for the unification of the Church had already been passed, introducing the Transylvanian system of elective councils for each parish, each diocese and for the religious life of the country in general. In the autumn he put forward an Education Bill which was attacked, not only by the national minorities, but even by the Rumanian opposition parties as infringing on the liberty of private, religious and national education by imposing on it too strict state control.