Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden announced in Commons today that the British Government is studying the question of immediate action that “might be considered useful in these circumstances to protect minority rights” in Rumania. He declared the Rumanian Foreign Minister had been reminded of the interest the British Government has always taken in the Minorities Treaty, of which it was a signatory, and in minorities generally.
The question of intervention by the United States on behalf of the Rumanian Jews was raised by Col. Josiah Wedgwood, Laborite, who asked Capt. Eden whether he was consulting the American Government to secure the most effective results in order to protect the minority rights of the Jews. Capt. Eden pointed out that the United States was not a member of the League of Nations and had not ratified the Minorities Treaty, and therefore was not in the same position as Great Britain and France.
Col. Wedgwood declared: “Jews are already being expelled from all professions and in other spheres of public life persecution is going on. Is not the interest of America in this matter more a humanitarian than a treaty interest?”
Capt. Eden replied: “As far as the United States is concerned, I must leave that to them. I do not think I could facilitate an approach from this side.”
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