Excesses “incidents”, Not “pogroms”, Averescu Says in Letter to American Jew

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The attitude of the Roumanian Government in regard to the protests made by the Jews of America and elsewhere against the treatment of the Jewish population in Roumania, was defined by the Prime Minister, General Averescu, in a letter which he has just addressed to Jacob Bronstein, President of the Illinois branch of the Roumanian Jews in America, in reply to an inquiry made by Mr. Bronstein.

“I have to state with much regret,” the Premier writes, “that there are very fantastic reports in circulation in America regarding the position of the Jews in Roumania. A libellous campaign is being carried on there by our enemies. You will agree with me that before people condemn they should inquire into the truth of these reports. There were reports of pogroms in Kishineff and Kalarasch which people accepted as if they were true. There were reports of bloodshed, desecration of synagogues and so forth. A little inquiry would have shown the absurdity of these inventions. There have never been any pogroms in our country. There have been incidents, individual disputes which the authorities have regarded objectively, taking all the measures dictated by the laws. The Government has taken care that peace and order should be maintained by all and it has always carried out its duty, being convinced that the interests of the country demand harmony and co-operation between all the citizens of the country. It is a mistake to regard isolated incidents which may occur here and there, sometimes very regrettable incidents, as if they were collective manifestations on the part of one section of the population against another,” the letter states.

“The Roumanian people which has suffered so long cannot become an oppressor of a population with which it is living together for many years. It is enough for me to mention the fact that when the massacres took place in the Ukraine in 1920, I being then Prime Minister, gave the opportunity to tens of thousands of Jews to save themselves by coming into our country. And when afterwards several of them tried by means of forgeries and bribery to remain in the country, it did not occur to anyone to accuse all the Jews of ingratitude. The guilty persons alone were punished, without distinction of whether they were Jews or Christians,” Averescu writes.

“The case of Falik, who was killed by a Roumanian student, has caused indignation among the Jewish population in the country and abroad. Without knowing the circumstances, the whole Christian population is saddled with responsibility for what has happened. In 1920 there was a crime committed of which you know. A bomb was exploded in the Senate. Fortunately only a few people were killed, the Minister of Justice, M. Gretzianu, Bishop Radu and Senator George Spiru: General Caanda and Bishop Goragaru were severely wounded and a large number of Senators were less severely injured. The criminals, who were led by one Max Goldstein, were Jews. No one at that time made the whole of the Jewish population responsible for this crime. The criminals were punished as criminals and not as Jews. You express your fear that the murderer of Falik will be acquitted by the jury in the same way as the murderer of the Prefect Manclu was acquitted. But in other countries, too, juries have acquitted murderers. In France murderers have been acquitted, but no one has thought of making the French Government and people responsible. I understand very well that the American Jews sympathize with the Roumanian Jews, but for that very reason they ought to view objectively the events which are taking place, because otherwise, it becomes difficult for the Government to combat sporadic attacks. You must know that the party of which I am the head includes many Jews and several of these are prominent personages who form part of the parliamentary majority upon which the present Government is based,” the Premier concludes.