Central Jewish organization here, including the board of Deputies of British Jews and the World Jewish Congress, were puzzled today over the report appearing in the United States a alleged Rumanian proposal to transfer 70,000 Rumanian Jews from Axis-held Transnistria, in the Ukraine, to Palestine or any other refuge the Allies may choose, providing $200 “transportation money” is paid for each refugee to the Rumanian treasury.
The report was not confirmed today by any authoritative source. Jewish leaders who would be in a position to know about the reported offer declared that such a proposal is “most unlikely.” They shared the skepticism of Washington officials, pointing out that even if the Rumanian Government were inclined to transport Jews on its ships for the sake of the $14,000,000 which it could realize on such a deal, the Nazis would never permit it to send any of its ships out of the Black Sea into Allied-controlled waters.
Radio broadcasts from Rumania last night reported that Commander Alexander Sturdza, head of the Jewish forced labor service, has been arrested on the charge that he accepted bribes from Jews to exempt them from forced labor. He is being held in the notorious Vacaresti present. Two of his aides have also been arrested on the same charge, the broadcast revealed.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
