The Minorities Office was reorganized by King Carol today under a decree placing its chief, to be known as the General Commissioner for Minorities, under direct control of Premier Patriarch Miron Christea. The commissioner, it is understood, will be appointed within a few days.
The King’s decree provides that the minorities section of the Ministry of Religions be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers under the name of the General Commissariat for Minorities. The commissariat is charged with supervision of legislative and administrative measures on minorities, advising the authorities on matters affecting religious denominations and other minorities problems.
The general commissioner will be appointed by royal decree from a list of high State dignitaries. Special regulations will be promulgated to establish various sections of the commissariat and to define their activities.
Meanwhile, threats of a Rumanian bolt from the League of Nations if the Jewish question is discussed at the forthcoming session of the Council continued to be voiced by newspapers. Following a strong hint in that direction published last week by L’Independence Roumaine, French language organ of the Liberal Party, the newspaper Viitorul, organ of the National Liberal Party, expressed similar views.
Citing a statement by Foreign Minister Nicolas Petrescu-Comnen that Rumania did not admit of any interference in her internal affairs, Viitorul declares the Government will not tolerate discussion of the Rumanian Jewish issue at Geneva. If despite the Foreign Minister’s warning discussion of the minorities question is attempted at Geneva, the newspaper asserts, “then the consequences will be extremely serious. Rumania will see herself forced to follow a different path from that traced by Geneva, which she followed for long within the framework of the League.”
L’Independence Roumaine said editorially that “even the slightest imprudence and interference on the part of Geneva” risked seriously affecting the work of internal consolidation and pacification and would force Rumania to adopt “an attitude which will not strengthen the prestige of the League.”
Newspapers gave prominent display to a speech made by Premier Christea to a delegation of youth groups in which he accused Rumanians of neglecting their own interests and permitting the Jews to “invade the country and undermine the foundations of the State.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
