JUS:tlfESS AND !HE FLA.th 4Mlaic.AR .tiBI.JV?IOlfS Wiffl &OMA.NU l.920-1929 Dy SKiffl GAR? LYNN /I Bache lfJr of M'ts Moorh.ea4 S1*w College .Moorlu)a4, Minnesota 1971 lkaw ,/f13 S64!°? ~-o2 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY NOV 16 1913 BUSINES·S AND 1rME FLA.Gt AMJIRlCAN 1920 ... 1929 11 /] J!}(j/tkrJ i., · .. •WA -• I '. • ilk ~~.._,..__....,...__...,.._,~----~· Doan of the Grud.ua te Co 11,:cg-e ii PREPACE Stud.e:n:ts of ••t:em BW:op•, 'Wt'i ting du.ring ·ott· lmmedl- a. te 13' af't•r the l.9208, :g;enera.lq, eons14ered Amer1ean- Ro­ l'tlaftlan relations to be hutl:tterent 'but amicable •1 However• apon careful study tnt.s view provta to be:·· a nd.s~onception_. l\elatione between the two countrits were neither in.U..fter•nt nc»:.' trl end ly, 'fbe Utt.1 t&d S ta:t. s repE?a'ted }¥ lnt9nen.d w1 th the l~an gove:rninent on behalt of 410erican watness and. the R~ac gove~nt re•enwd tills interference. 1rbl.eh often t"&$Ultcid in •trained rela1:1on.a ~t1?een the t'WO govem• this studr wlll eYArd.ne tae major problems 1'\ilich pre­ •ented .u.toable rel&tiqns l>etwetm. the United States .an( Romania during tbe 192os. ftlese px-oblems 1n.cluded ~d& restrict.tons. comme;l¥cial an.ct -.r debt. paytn(Jnts. petrOl•um nationallsa:tlon legisla:t.ion• p•rsectat1on. of 1he lewtsh minor ... 1 tr in Romania» and. t:b& r-elueal of th.Et A.ll\erican government to reoognlae R~an sovoreLgntr ov&r 'th& annexed province af Besaarabla.. The stud.7 also will provide a. case study of the wa-r the United S~tes oonc.tuct.4 relations ,.1ith small.&!" pow~rs 1n the l920s. Business was a ajtr' consid.eratlon. 1n the policy o:t toi-e1sn afta.tN.. Betwe ~· First \for l4 war the Vn1 ted Sta-.s rat'lk.e.d t:lfth in 1q,ortanoe amona th• na.tions tradlng d'th ROllSA1a.. Alter the rlii.l" several factors ~red. btaei ... Mas oporwnl'lie• in &~a, lMt the po~Ual Jllf.\rket stlU """u\e4 Arlerican ln'hsto~ an.4· lM.tswaamen. AtMr1e-.s wre 1nt••••'te4 1n any eoun~ wblch coul.4 ·otter a proft. t. am &Oltaaia •t qne ot tlu)a. Al tbLt st\141' 1d.il abow., uw... , ever, fe•t• serious •tudtes ban been ma4e • ., Allerleaa relations v.ith Romanla la ·tu period lP20•l92'· tb.e~tore ll08t of ·'f;he lntorutioit COllta.lned in tbi.s ·i1*47 4ei-.tvea · mm prlmar, Ot"· per1odlca.l sources., file nuurous S·J~ ·writs on Roaanla d\lring th!.~ Pff1od ha.v. 1n'\falaa.blei if not vt.1.a.1, ntaterial, an4 they ha.Ye been 1nclU4e4. -ef'lll.¥ '1\.1.s ,a,.r will PN"" duce a better tan4~rs~ ot tb• Wte4 s•te•• c.cmdue't ~ t"1fari 'the sntallcti" European p01ren 1n ~· ptrl.04 toll.Ow!;ng tbs 1'rst world war. 1 '71. .e:ll w tna.nJt. ~" »el'llas wbo have · b;; J.pe« pr.,..e tb.l.a ttl&sis. ~· a'taft of tile Oklahoma State ln1Yers1t, Ll~ ·baJt. been most he l.piul in seeuril)g or l.Ooa"tf.tlg ~ 40CUJ&e:rtts arid. sources l needed... I nee~ special thenks for Dr. George 1, lev11oury who has 41.neted rq study, au.. Dr. l4chael •· Sm.11th vrko i.s )rfflde<l ,i&l.Uable a.seietaace 1n pt-oO:ft-,sadJ.ng tbls thesle" I als• &ekn<>wledge the -14 ot Dr, Ollarles •· DollcU" and. 1111 eiassmates in ._. American JQ.s ... to,-17 •·z-tnlnat'" for their astute crl t1qoee of an .arl1er Yer·• elem of this ,-per. Cbapta l. 8&\fllt ROJ'ttAIIAt All Jl'LftQJlUC~lON • • • • •• ... "'l Il.. !ME JEWISH AID II§SJJUJJU!t Clf§'fIQIS, • • t • ' ... 9 III. COMMMCJAL 4NJ1 I.AR l>llB,13, • • • .. , • • " • • • • :,.. •fHE on. cONBOV'ERSt •••• ll ••• j ..... * • '9 V. TRADE A:ND fim!fl.iSt fftlf fl8J OP RELA.fIOHSi • .. • s, S&EClBD !:I!l,IOQR4J'Hl' • ,, * , • • ~ • • • • , , • 66 . A brlet ln~tion ot l~a.•• txperi..ence in the . ., . · 11rst lorl.4 war an4 a...,.,. o-t political·~- 4vlnc Ute decade ae rwc•••~ -, und.er•ttm.4 llounu•s· ·actions toward ,hft lni-te4 s•••·ln tba pe.rlo4 l.920•li!9• tis l>a.c~ ell Ml)) 4€1't'e~p 'lhe ·re&d.er*a.. llQd.ei-s~ ot loJtlilAlaa ... 41lel'10JAn rtlatl.ons . b7. acqualntlna ld..m '4.th tbJ d.om.es*lc . poU.ctes 'Whlch attected· aomanta*s.. tore1sn l"el.a.ttons • tor'l4 ~ One create¢ f.J'~&ter ~a 1ar aJ.tln& the R~ p:ec>ple int<> a sf.;ngle •••· ~a· tound herself ·in a cm:-LQUS and ~·~ws position wl th. tl\e. nt1>reu ot nr 1A l.91.4. 1 W.d,ge4 betweth: .two ;powertu.l neighbOrs., l\\lesla a:cul AU.ertrla...amgarr:t any lomuitn action 1n fawr of one e14e Wtlld precipi ta1e a _. M,th the other. Boaan.i.a bad & secret alllanoe wlth Ge~ an4 Austria~.. ~. peneoution of aoman.tans 1n. transvivanta pnor ._ -.. war, however, W polsone4 R.... an palUJ.o tplnlen to the ex.ten:\ 1 that the people would not allow Romania to ally herself wl th Auntr:J.a-Hunga.ry. Xtaq•a declaration of neutral!t.y suggest- , ed th& cQurse Romania would take 1n th$ war. Romania•• ~. neutrality brought. her offers ot te:t1:"1 torlal ago-&.ntliaemen;t from 'both aid.es at the txpense ot their oppoMnts. The Central Powers of'fered: the RUaa.lan prGVince of Jessarabia while the friple 1~tente entioe4 Romania with promises of the weal't~ province of !ransyl~a. As the ,.iar dragged on .&omania4'S ab!ll ty to maintain her . neutral.1 ty we.akened,. As a result of the Britiah oon:t!nental blockade, an acute petroleum shortage confronted Ge~, Since Romania containud th$ oniu oil fields on the cont!.Mnt J.Arge tmough to rollpply the O.rm.a.n war macbi:ne• the Qe~ b• lleved that vie tory hinged on bringing Romania into the war. Nil a.n ally Romania could provide oil tor a cOI!b.on cause, A.s an enem, Ge~ could capture ROl?ta.nia/'s cl.eh oil - fields.. In a;o,y case, continued Romanian neutrall ty 'Mll.S out ot the question. 2 Although the rajor1'1 of Roman.1.a.n government otf'1cials were Francopbile and in ~avor ot Joining the En:'tente, the fortunes ot war t~llf 4ec1d.ed which aide Romania would job.. Convinced that Gematl7 would lose the v.rar• Romania declared war on Auatr1a-Kungary on A.ugus't ff• 1916. Romanian troops defeated th$ lfungarians an4 occv.p.1ed 'frans7lvon.ta. soon ,- t-:cj..... ~ Ii (!) I-' • ~ .§ 0 1-1) ::a s0 § ..... p., "' "" t:; ~ N 0 l I-' 3 :;d \,() !: 0 N ~ :I~~~ '° o__.~1')> • I:) '.Z ~ > 't i \>I .Qi - __ ......... ~ ............. .. " Genua.n forces were sent to the s outnern tront Gild J:Oute:d the 10.anla.ns. The Gehlan at"lllY gained the peti-olet.tim tields ot Wal.lAcb.la and drove the Ron\an1an a~ into the province tJt Moldavia.• Before the German.s e;;.ptured th~ rich oll f1•l4s in lo­ manla, the AlU.es detaaade4 that the l<ma.nlart government pursue a se.orcbed: earth policy 1n tb.e oll t.leld.s. A.. o~.. 4o of the· .k:lU.sh Military: lnte.lligenc.e, un.4er the lea.der­ sbJ,p ot co ltn$ l lfor.1ion Gritft. tbs , arr:1ved ln Dueb.a.res t an lo:vem.b6r ltl, 1916• and dec:14e4 1:o des_.OJ' the oil wells ooa·· Pltt$lf in orier to prevent Ge~ e.Qquisi tion of th•se im­ portant supp.J.es ot petrolewa.. On Koveniber 2J, the Ro-.nlan sovermaent appo.tnt,;d a mixed Jranco ,R~an comrdssion to aid in the destruction of the ,1ells.' Among the companies 4amaged was the American own&d Ro~o-.Amerieana, a subsidiary et Standard 011 comp.an, ot New Jtrs-0y. · The AlUed hwEirs promised con,pensat.lon tor the destruction. ot the wells &l'l4 reftner1es1 but the d.eJ.ay ln Ol>taln1ng tb.1$ proml.se and '1\,1,:. JJ"e lucta.nee ot 011 men to 4t ... s'trolf their lnstallAt.lons r;J4taced the effeetlvenesn ot the pre>j<Jet, thoirough l"esults were aobleved on]¥ when the Anglo ... Rome.nian 1lerrtruct1on Coair::sion S'Qper\li.sed ·tu soota.ge,4 ROM.nia •a precarious poa1 tl<m. became untenable ,then the Bolshevilt %"evol\lt1on r.:mot"t4. bs$la from tM! ,;ar, Zgnor.tnc ' 'tht avioi.da.l prospect: which ihlmanla fa.cad .fighting aione, 1so .... lated trom her alUts, the Enten:te Powers and thelr new all,J the United Sta.tea exerted. m.uoh pressure to prevent Ito~ trom signing a. separ.a:te peace with Germany .. ' hverthe less, R~a ca,p1 tulate4 under· the 1r~ight ot th$· Sllper1or Ge~ milltai-r tdght and began ne.got1at1ons, ,rb1oh cultd.nat•d 1n the fl-eat,- ~t BUch.tu•ent on •1 11 1918. !he blu-shest tet'mS o.t thls treat, vx:tuld bi\ve toroed Romania to 'beoome an eco~ nomi.o colon, of a.naany.