Jewish Board of Deputies Takes Up Soroca Affair: Unanimous Decision Asking Joint Foreign Committee T

The Board of Deputies of British Jews unanimously decided at its meeting held here to-day to request the Joint Foreign Committee to consider what steps can be taken to bring the facts of the Soroca incident to the notice of the League of Nations and to recover from the Roumanian Government adequate compensation for the dependents of the deceased men.

Mr. Percy Cohen, who raised she question at the previous meeting of the Board held in February, said: I am perfectly well satisfied that the Joint Foreign Committee will find, if they consider this matter, that there is machinery through the League of Nations to get a final determination and impartial judgment on this matter. This country is proud to have the moral leadership of the world, and I should be proud to think that British Jewry has the leadership of world Jewry. I think that we have a duty and a responsibility to our co-religionists.

Mr. Charles Rubens said that it was difficult to see how this matter could be regarded as an infraction of the Minorities Treaties entered into by Roumania. It seemed to him, he said, that it might be regarded as an integral one particular to the country.

Mr. d’Avigdor Goldsmid, the President of the Board, who was in the chair, said that Mr. Rubens might possibly be right-that the particular incident at Soroca could not be regarded as an infraction of the Treaties, but an internal incident of Roumania. I think, however, he went on, that we are entitled to look at it from the broader point of view. Here we have two contradictory reports, one which I read to you at the last meeting, the official one reported to the House of Commons transmitted through His Majesty’s Minister in Roumania, and secondly the one quoted in our Joint Foreign Committee report received from an authoritative source, which disagrees in toto with the official statement. That alone would justify us in pointing out to the Roumanian Government the eminent desirability of a public enquiry into the facts of this question.

There are a number of Jewish Deputies in the Roumanian Parliament, Mr. Goldsmid added, and I think public opinion in this country should be concentrated in an effort to support them to secure a public enquiry, which is not only in the interests of the Jews of Roumania but is essential to Roumania itself. I hope that the reports quoted in our agenda and my remarks will make the Roumanian itself. I hope that the reports quoted in our agenda and my remarks will make the Roumanian Government realise the importance of such an enquiry. I would add that the Joint Foreign Committee in other directions is endeavouring to bring pressure to bear on the Roumanian Government to consent to a public enquiry.

The Joint Foreign Committee’s report also states that the Committee is endeavouring to secure a copy of the Bill to amend the Nationality Law of 1924 introduced into the Roumanian Senate by the Minister of Justice, Professor Pop, before proceeding to take such action as it may deem necessary.

SUGGESTIONS THAT JEWISH INFLUENCE IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCE RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMIC ILLS OF WORLD

The Press Committee of the Board reported to the meeting that it had given careful consideration to the possibility of dealing with alleged suggestions in various quarters that Jewish influence in international finance is responsible for all the present economic ills of the world. The Committee is of the opinion, the report states, that it is impossible to trace any such suggestions in any responsible quarter and impracticable to attempt to meet vague generalisations, but that should they occur in a specific form prompt steps should be taken to refute them.