Roumania’s Mistreatment of Jews Told in Report of American Committee

The complete report of the deputation sent to Roumania by the American Committee on the Rights of Religious Minorities, to study racial and religious conditions in that country, has just been released in a volume entitled, “Roumania Ten Years After.”

The deputation is of the opinion that anti-Jewish propaganda, which has attracted special attention in Roumania, is “part of the widespread and ugly manifestation of racial and religious hatred.” However, the deputation is convinced that the anti-Semitic riots which have recently occurred in Hungary illustrate how widespread this deplorable hatred is.”

There is a wide discrepancy between the Roumanian Constitution adopted by the State, which is liberal in many respects, and its enforcement through the officials, particularly in the administration in the outlying districts, according to the deputation. This may also be said of the laws relating to civil liberties. “The courts have in many instances, some notorious, been either intimidated or been deliberately used by groups for their own needs,” states the report. “Every failure to enact school laws equitable to the minorities and every failure to administer them fairly is a grievous error on the part of a great nation endeavoring to use rightly elements which might be built into a loyal citizenship,” it is contended.

The discrimination of the Roumanian government is shown not only toward Jewish residents, but toward the old Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist and Unitarian institutions, many of them from 200 to 300 years old.

Probably the most serious situation discovered by the deputation was the great menace to world peace on account of the repression of the franchise rights of minorities and groups outside the administration.

“Frequently throughout Roumania, one sees painted on walls or buildings the swastika,” the report states. This is the sign of Roumanian anti-Semitism and with the words above it “Christ-King-Country” and below it the signature ‘A. C. Cuza’ it is the official emblem of the chief anti-Semitic organization, ‘The League for National Christian Defense.’ The swastika alone without motto or signature is, however, the customary emblem and it is as revealing as the initials K.K.K. or I.W.W. in the United States. It is intended to symbolize both Aryan blood and Christian faith.

“Anti-Jewish propaganda in Roumania is centered in two organizations, the above-named League and the student organization, ‘The National Roumanian Christian Students’ Union.’ A. C. Cuza, a professor of Economics in the University of Jassy, is the presiding genius of the movement. The programs of these organizations indicate their aims. ‘The League for National-Christian Defense’ advocates that political rights be taken from Jews, and that they be prevented from becoming citizens, that they be expelled from rural communes and their property expropriated, that their forest contracts be cancelled and their oil concessions expropriated, that city property they own be taken, that they be forbidden public office, that a ‘numerus clausus’ (‘closed number.’ this is, proportional admission only) be established for all cultural and economic activities, and that punishment for certain business, political and social crimes, alleged to be frequently committed by Jews, be made very rigorous.

“Here is the Cuza program: Drive every Jews out of Greater Roumania; 2. Refuse to employ any Jews for any kind of work; 3. Do not permit any Jew to attend any class in any school within Roumania; 4. Do not buy from any Jew; 5. Do not sell to any Jew; 6. Do not allow any Jew to vote or take part in any election; 7. Keep the Jews out of all positions of honor, emolument, or service to the State.”

The Committee of One Hundred of the Jewish Education Association, established to enable the organization to dispense with the annual drive for funds, has obtained fifty percent of its membership. Jacob Wener. Chairman of the Committee, snnounced at a meeting of the Board of Trustees Isreal Unterberg. President of the Jewish Education Association, presided.

Each member of the Committee of One Hundred. Mr. Wener reported, has assumed the obligation of adding a minimum of $1,000 annually in new subscriptions to the funds of the Association. The present subscriptions are to be converted by the Committee into annual gifts.

The following. It was announced, have already become members of this Commitee: A. I. Biltchik. Jacob H. Cohen. Ben Davis. Joseph Durst. Charles W. Endel. David Epstein. Narthan Fluegelman. Jonah J. Gold-Gabriel Hambnrger, Max W. Hollander. Jacob Klein A.E. Kornfeld, Samuel C. Lamport. Joseph Leblang, Mrs. Joseph Leblang. Jacob J. Lubell, Morris H. Mann. Max N. Natanson. Benjamin F. Natkins, Elias Reiss. Judge Otto A. Rosalsky, Albert Rosenbaltt. Samuel Rottenberg. Sam Samuels. Max J. Schwartz. Max Schwatz. Bernard Semel. Isaac Seigel. William S. Sussman. Israel Unterberg, J. M. Wachman and Jacob Wener.