Alliance Israelite Universelle Censures Roumania for Mistreatment of Jews

Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

A report of the Jewish situation in various European countries was presented at the annual session of the Central Committee of the Alliance Israelite Universelle held here.

An era of progressive improvement is noticed in Poland following a period of grave economic disturbance, the report stated. The situation is by no means normal; the three million Polish Jews naturally suffer cruelly from the after-effects of the crisis. The Polish Jews, however, are far from enjoying equal rights with other citizens, not only before the law, but in daily life. Organized boycotts are levelled both against Jewish workingmen and merchants. Some relief has been gained through conferences. The recent change of ministry under the presidency of Marshal Pilsudski was welcomed by Polish Jews with great satisfaction.

Nor has Roumania ended its traditional anti-Jewish policy. General Averescu’s present government has not reacted against the violent anti-Semitism of the Cuza party which is represented in parliament. Nor has the Roumanian Government respected its stipulations concerning the Jews of the annexed regions; thousands of Jews of Bukowina still remain without a country, and cannot obtain Roumanian naturalization.

The Alliance has not been inactive in regard to the numerus clausus. “Lucien Wolf, both in our name and that of the Joint Foreign Committee, has not failed to keep in touch with the representatives of the League of Nations. In the session of December 1925, following a joint note presented regarding the Hungarian numerus clausus, Count Klebelsberg gave assurance that the law had a provisional character. We have not returned to the question, since we wish to give the Hungarian government time to fulfill its promises. If not done, we will again take up the problem before the Geneva Assembly,” the report states.

“Extreme caution is imposed on us now, since the parliamentary representatives of Polish Jews have for some months been negotiating with their government to regulate the status of Jews and assure them their Constitutional equal rights.

“The same applies to Roumania. Mr. Wolf has recently had important conversations with Roumaniain representatives at Geneva.

“Abraham Bragin has recently communicated with the Central Committee on Jewish Colonization in Russia. Wishing to study the problem, we deputed Mr. Haffkine. Mr. Haffkine, on his return, will explain the various technical, political and economical aspects of the problem. His letters reveal how favorably he is impressed with Jewish colonization in Russia as a means of modifying the material handicaps of Russian Jews.

“We have studied the report made by Armand Schmoll, assistant director of the Jewish Colonization Association. “In a recent lecture, Reuben Brainin declared: ‘Fort forty years I have been a devoted partisan of the Zionist movement and would care to do nothing detrimental to the Palestine cause. But facts are facts: Jewish colonization in Russia is a success, offering the only prospect of relief for our ruined Russian Jews.’ We have also read in the journals the findings of delegates of the Joint Distribution Committee, notably that of Jacob Billikopf, son-in-law of Louis Marshall. Without exception, all favor the continuation and extension of the enterprise, America remaining closed to immigration,” the report says.

“The question of the Portuguese Marranos who wish to return to Judaism has been studied by Lucien Wolf who published in ‘Paix et Droit’ diverse projects for the consummation regarding a unique contemporary problem.

“In May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs transmitted to us a request of the French minister in Ethiopia that some young Falashas be admitted to our Auteuil school for preparation as engineers, architects, doctors, etc. The Alliance offered the French Government to place four Falashas in our professional school in Jerusalem where they would be taught a trade. This is being done, but with little success, the Falashas being weak and averse to learning a trade, claiming they had been expecting a chance at higher studies.

“Neither have such trials in Italy, Switzerland and in Paris signally succeeded, due probably to permitting the youth to entertain too lofty ambitions, whereas the mentality of the Falashas is that of still primitive peoples; it would be a mistake to place them on equality with more advanced Jewish groups.

“During the past few months, the Alliance has devoted 2,500,000 francs to the succor of coreligionists suffering in Russia and Poland particularly from the economic effects of the war. In Russia, we have sent provisions and clothing through the Hoover mission; have relieved victims of pogroms in Ukrainia, as well as emigres. In Poland we have succored refugees and orphans. The same holds of Eastern Galicia. The money available is insufficient; the Jews of Europe have not been able to assist in reconstruction work, which has been made possible, however, by societies like the Jewish Colonization Association and by the spirit of generosity characterizing American Jewry which continues to support the still uncompleted task.

“An important subsidy was given the Jewish poor of Damascus, following the war in Syria. Security is established; Jews have resumed their occupations and are working to repair their ruin.

“We were not consulted by the Turkish Jews of Constantinople who renounced their minority rights conferred on them by the Treaty of Lausanne. The separation of spiritual and temporal realms, effected by the new Constitution, ipso facto, entails the suppression of the jurisdiction of the rabbinate in individual and family questions. It remains to be learned if, through international law, some resolution will unite the minority members and whether the League of Nations will give its adhesion thereto, charged as it is with the execution of the treaties.

“Hellenic authorities in Greek Macedonia stubbornly refuse to tolerate the naming of professors belonging to a foreign nationality. The time is not remote when all important matters will have to be taught in Greek,” the report states.

The annual meeting of the National Jewish Hospital at Denver will be held at the Statler Hotel, Buffaio, N. Y., on Sunday, January 23. The sessions will last through the day, and will be followed by a banquet at the Statler Hotel.

The meeting will hear reports of the work accomplished during the past year, and plans for the future, in the annual messages of the President, Mr. William B. Woolner, Mrs. S. Pisko, secretary of the Hospital, and of Dr. Win. S. Friedman, Denver, founder of the Hospital and Chairman of the Board of Managers. The medical work of the Hospital will be covered in the reports of Dr. Robert Levy, chairman of the Medical Advisory Board, and Dr. Felix Baum, Medical Director. The Research work of the Hospital will be presented in the report of Dr. H. J. Corper. Director of Research. Ben Altheimer, of New York, national treasurer of the Hospital since its inception, and B. Fiesher, Denver, chairman of the Finance Committee, will report on the finances of the institution and its future needs. The field work of the Hospital will be presented by Samuel Schaefer, National Supervisor, and Ernest Morris, of Denver, will describe the work of the Hospital’s trade and vocational schools.