Our Daily News Letter

(By Our Bucharest Correspondent)

The failure of the Liberals, the present government party in Roumania, at the last municipal elections and the resignation today as a result of that of the Bratianu cabinet, will possibly inaugurate a better era for Roumanian Jewry, for it was the Bratianu government which was responsible for the long period of anti-Jewish excesses in this country.

The Jews played an important role in the last elections. Having learned from sad experience that they had nothing to expect from the so-called “Liberal” party which tolerated and in many instances actively helped the Cuza student hooligans, the Jews joined with all the other progressive elements in the country at the ballot boxes. That the importance of the Jewish vote was understood by the government is to be seen from the fact that an effort was made in a number of important cities, as in Kishineff and Czernowitz, to win the Jews over to the Liberals. In other places the government party joined forces with the anti-Semites and tried to browbeat the Jews into voting for the Liberal candidates. Knowing the sentiment of the Jews the Liberals in Focsany placarded the city with posters warning the “Christian brothers” to “protect” the country from the Jews, etc. The Cuzist band went even further and threatened the Jews to keep away from the voting booths else they would be beaten up.

These tactics were not employed only against the Jews. All the progressive elements in the country were subjected to similar treatment. In fact the entire population was terrorized during the elections. In many precincts all the votes but those for the Liberals were destroyed outright. An indication of what took place can be seen in the case of Kishineff. Out of a population of 250,000 a voting list of 17,000 was drawn up and ballots were issued to only 8,000, the remaining 9,000 ballots being manipulated by the officials.

Despite all this, however, the government party, was decisively beaten everywhere. In Bucharest where the Liberals were certain they would be victorious, the opposition received 72 per cent of all votes. Similar defeats for the government party were also registered in Jassy, Moldawa, Clausenburg, Kishineff, Czernowitz, Bukowina and many other cities, including the three chief commercial centres, Galac, Brajila and Constanc.

As a result of the outcome of the municipal elections the Liberals are making an eleventh hour attempt to pass legislation in Parliament that would institute a Fascist method of voting and make it easier for them to overcome their opponents in the coming parliamentary elections. The measure has already been passed in the Senate and has been brought before the lower house. According to the law the country will constitute one voting unit and the party that secure an absolute majority (even if only ### per cent) will get 80 per cent of the seats in Parliament, the ticket that secures 66 per cent of the votes will be given 90 per cent of the seats. It is hoped, however, by the Jews and other progressive elements that the process of liberation from the yoke of the Liberals which has been begun in Roumania will be carried out effectively enough to prevent a return a power of the present regime.

The debut of Max Berman at Carnegie Hal Friday night was his first public appearance as a singer.

For several years Berman had been singing in an obscure drying and cleaning shop, when Giacoma Bourg, a vocal teacher heard him and procured an audition for him before, body of critics. Berman was enthusiastically received by a large audience.