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Show State Essay Winner f. ' -"V ' ' ' . ! : A. rS i . j RALPH HAPTEN Legion Auxiliary Presents Winning Fidac Essay Written By Ralph Hafen (Editor's Note Following is the 1939 Fidac Essay contest winner. win-ner. It was written by Ralph Hafen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hafen and was awarded the state honors as reported in last week's issue of the News.) 'Queen Marie of Rumania Ambassador of Good Will' BY RALPH HAFEN Peace and good will are the common com-mon desires of the greater masses of people in all the world. This pulsing heartbeat was felt by Queen Marie of Rumania, who lit the torch of good will within her own country and carried it as a guiding light for others. A halo rests upon her, as we visualize (Continued on page five) 'Queen Marie of Rumania Ambassador of Good Will' (Continued from first page) this undaunted knight attempting to scale the barriers of misunderstanding misunder-standing in a blood-drenched world. Upon this ideal, she worked work-ed little by little. Viewing a wider horizon, she continued bit by bit until her life now stands as a monument to this cause. In reviewing the life of Queen Mario, we visualize instances that moulded a courageous diplomat, a statesman and administrator of dignity and confidence. We would visualize a woman who worked, played, studied, sacrificed, fought! suffered, and lived to foster an ideal. Queen Marie inherited a legacy of initiative powers and ability from two great ruling families of Europe, that of Queen Victoria and the Czar of Russia. The little girl princess of 10, lived on the beautiful island of Malta which is midway between Sicily and Africa. Her father, the Duke of Edin-bourgh, Edin-bourgh, was the Admiral at the British naval station. It was here that the nobility stayed while vacationing or on business. Always Al-ways there were visitors and always crises of national and international affairs discussed. Problems of nations were breathed breath-ed into the soul of the princess at a tender susceptible age. The atmosphere of her early life prepared and educated the mode of conduct and etiquette fitting for a princess. She was at ease in meeting strangers and soon learned the art of conversation. conver-sation. The beauty of this island struck the artist chord in the sensitive girl and, in her later life, she imparted this value to the people of her adopted land. Though only fourteen, the Princess Prin-cess fell in love with George, Duke of York. This match was discouraged by the Duchess, who was an ambitious mother, wishing her daughter to marry a king. The bond of something more than friendliness and good will existed between this girl who became the Queen of Rumania and the boy who became King George of England. At the crisis of the great World War was exhibited the faith that she had kept throughout the years and helped to influence her in her role as "Ambassador of Good Will". Opportunity's hand was extended ex-tended to this fair young princess, when it became necessary for her people to move to Germany. The stage was set by her ambitious ambiti-ous match-making mother for her daughter, at the age of 15, to be presented to the German court and to the state dinners. It was here that the great and near-great near-great of all the countries were assembled from time to time. Tall, fair-haired, blue-eyed, and beautiful, Princess Marie was as a target for matrimony. Her gracious charm, poise, tact, beauty and lineage caused her to be much sought after. The bewitching beauty and charm added to ties of lineage, gave this young bride prestige which planted the seed of diplomacy diplo-macy . and statesmanship and, above all. the quality of not being afraid of those conducting the governments in any land. As a bride of 17, Princess Marie adopted the country of Rumania, which she helped to influence, in-fluence, mold, and weld. The people, from the first, loved this girl, whose kindliness was a i magnet leading them through many paths. The little bride soon found that it took a diplomat to live within the household of the shrewd, hard King Carol I and her husband, too, and yet live her own life.. Motherhood came and maturity broadened her understanding. Her wisdom grew. Her heart went out to that little country whose land had been the scene of so many wars. It had been so mal-treated that she felt the lack of national spirit. The quaint customs and simple life of the people stirred the artistic and literary woman. A keener insight into their prob- lems called for a solution. She stirred up a new national spirit by collecting the legends and folklore folk-lore and, in beautiful literary form, distributed them among the people. She encouraged the worship wor-ship of their national heroes and singing of their national songs. In dramatics, as in writing, the amateur was encouraged. The miserable living conditions of the poor she sought to make better. The dream of beauty that she always al-ways carried with her was carried car-ried out in the Court gardens. This dream was caught by the people who tried, in turn, to beautify. Her great gift flowed from her pen. Through this medium, came words of council, words of praise, words of appreciation. ap-preciation. Always her heart was for the good of the people. At the time of the great World War, it would have been the national tie for Carol I to have joined the Hohenzollorns. Through the influence of Queen Marie, they remained neutral. King Carol I died and Ferdinand I became King and Princess Marie crowned Queen. As time went on, it became more and more impossible to keep neutral. At last, through the Queen's advice, Rumania joined the Allies. It was between the years of 1914 and 1918 that the indomitable queen continued the heroic- role as "Ambassador of Good Will". The terrible scourges of that deadly war swept Rumania. Ru-mania. Little by little, they were pushed on to a mere fringe of their country without resources for food and equipment. Not only this, but the Russian Revolution was as a thunder bolt striking, at their soldiers' morale. The severe winter entombed the soldiers which had been joined by the Allies. Disease swept among both soldiers and the people. Everywhere was tragic suffering little, starving, orphan children; grief-stricken old, famine; and the awful pestilence of typhus. An administering angel walked in their midst Queen Marie. No task was too menial for her to do, no task so large but that she arose to the occasion. "A shrewd and subtle diplomat who placed her connections at the service of her country". She organized the food for the hungry and makeshift make-shift dwellings for the old and orphans. Cheering and comforting, the Queen attended the sick and wounded. On horseback, this Ambassador reviewed the troops and gave encouragement en-couragement to the downhearted and timid. Now here and now there, she floated carrying that assurance which went into the battle of Mackensen, breaking the offensive. At the same time. Verdun was liberated, causing the Armistice. A greater unified national Rumania resulted. After the war, the Queen's work went forward. She stood by the side of the King, helping to hold the people together through organizations of relief, projects of beautification and developments of business. Queen Marie appeared as the only woman at the Peace Table in Paris. Many who remembered the young bride of 17, were surprised sur-prised to see transformed the beautiful woman officiating as a diplomatic statesman in the interests in-terests of a greater Rumania and a better world.' The Queen's philosophy suggest that in the great human family all are as one in the big issues of life. It was at this peace conference, that she visualized the pettiness of human beings which poisoned their judgment. She dared to stand for that which she thought was just and right. The Queen believed in marriages mar-riages for her children that would keep them in their own class and promote a better understanding between nations. Her son, Carol II, was a bitter disappointment because he gave up the throne so that he could lead his own life. The solution of the world's cry for peace is to understand each other. The brilliant Queen saw that we all meet in the fields of art, music, literature, and athletics to give merit, praise and honor. Why, then, do the walls remain so high for good will? One magnificent gesture that the Ambassador offered as a solution was a tour to promote a better understanding. She went through many countries then to the United States. She found that languages and customs are gifts handed down from one generation to another but are not the walls of separation. It was with gratitude grati-tude her message was accepted. The King became suddenly ill and the Queen hurriedly returned home. Soon after he died, King Carol II gave his mother the magnificent honor of an ex-service man in which the whole world joined praise. t It was with joy and happiness that the Queen endorsed and associated as-sociated herself with that magnificent magni-ficent society. FIDAC, whose creed stands for a better understanding under-standing between nations, through the soldiers. At the close of the career of Queen Marie, we recognize an example of brotherly love whose largeness of soul, clearness of vision, courageous leadership carried car-ried aloft ideals for Peace and Good Will. |