American Leaders Petition Queen Marie for Rights of National Minorities in Roumania

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

A petition will be presented to Queen Marie of Roumania by a group of prominent American religious and civic leaders asking Her Majesty to intervene in behalf of the religious minorities in Roumania suffering from discrimination.

This petition bears many signatures of prominent leaders including Rev. Louis C. Cornish, vice-chairman of the American Unitarian Association; Roland W. Boyden, member of the Reparations Commission; Henry S. Coffin, President of the Union Theological Seminary; Ellen F. Pendleton, President of Wellesley College; Robert Watson, President, Massachusetts Federation of Churches; Rev. Harry E. Fosdick of New York; James J. Walsh, prominent layman of the Roman Catholic Church of New York; Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress; Judge Julian W. Mack, Dr. Maurice B. Hexter, Director of the Boston Federated Jewish Charities; Lee M. Friedman of Boston; Louis E. Kirstein and Rabbi Harry Levi of Boston.

The petition reads as follows:

“To the Queen of Roumania: We present to Your Majesty our respectful salutations, and as citizens of the United States we welcome you to our country as an honored guest.

“We take advantage of your presence here to petition Your Majesty to give your distinguished personal consideration to those religious minorities in Roumania suffering under the practice of discriminations: Baptists, Jews, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Unitarians and Roman Catholics. We know that hopeful progress has already been made by the Roumanian Government toward a solution of this problem. We rejoice that the condition of these minorities has been bettered, but much remains to be done, and it is our conviction that if your royal influence could be further exerted on their behalf their present condition would be vastly improved.

“We hope that Your Majesty may continue to enjoy your visit, and wish you God Speed upon your homeward journey.”