Pompadour & Peasants

The junk dealer's daughter was again last week the issue that eclipsed all others in Rumania. It had been understood that King Carol was at last sending away this Jewish Pompadour. She was supposed to have been escorted out of the country and handsomely paid off by the Chief of Police of Bucharest. But last week red-haired Magda Lupescu was found to be still in Rumania and not all the King's censors and all the King's soldiers could suppress for more than a few days the fact that Pompadour Lupescu had come up for action before the Executive Committee of the National Peasant Party.

"As long as Mme Lupescu remains in Rumania nobody will be able to accomplish anything good!" cried the Peasant Party's Juliu Maniu, "Most Popular Man in Rumania." Six years ago Dr. Maniu led a mass peasant march on Bucharest (TIME, March 26. 1926). and became Premier of Rumania's first "Reform Cabinet." Last week he threatened similar tactics if the King's mistress is not expelled.

In vain another onetime Peasant Premier, M. Vaida-Voevod, pleaded that Mme Lupescu is not the political trouble-maker she is universally supposed to be. "During my premiership she caused no trouble and I obtained the King's promise to send her away," M. Vaida-Voevod illogically explained. "After her passport and a supply of money had been made ready the King changed his mind."

Thus chided. Leader Maniu redoubled his protests, made clear that Mme Lupescu will be the chief issue in Rumania's next election. "Through her meddling in politics," he said, "no less than twelve cabinets have fallen and four Rumanian elections have followed on each other's heels. Mme Lupescu is responsible for almost every evil in the country. I suggest we should hold party meetings all over Rumania to clear up this scandal. Every Rumanian should receive a good example from the palace. Otherwise there is no sense in spending millions for priests and teachers.

"As long as the chief of staff of the present court camarilla, who is Mme Lupescu, retains full power, I shall struggle with that camarilla. I shall fight it in order to save the monarchy."

Thus attacked, King Carol, who has been ruling Rumania under a "state of siege" decree since the assassination of Premier Ion Duca by terrorists who openly made known that "Lupescu is next on our list" (TIME, Jan. 8). took council with Premier George Tatarescu who advised last week that the state of siege must be prolonged for another six months.

In the Bucharest ghetto, legend enshrouds the wiles by which the junk dealer's daughter became La Pompadour. She is supposed to have learned that Carol would drive back one night along a certain woodland road. As the headlights of the royal car cut the darkness, out into the road staggered beauteous Magda, her clothing enticingly torn, her red hair flying. "Save me!" she cried and Carol, struck by her beauty, took her home, has been held by her charm ever since.

Ghetto friends of Magda's father insist that he considers the King a bad influence on his daughter, often urges Magda to break with Carol.

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