Had it not been for the effort of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Samson Bronstein, Zionist leader of Yedinez, Bessarabia, would probably have died of neglect, declared D. A. Braham, president of the Union of Roumanian Jews, in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency following his retturn from a visit to Roumania.
As it is, declared Mr. Braham, Bronstein’s condition is so serious that “one or both of his legs may have to be amputated because gangrene resulted owing to lack of proper medical aid.”
Mr. Braham visited Bronstein in the hospital of Czernowitz.
Mr. Braham expressed the belief that a case like that of Samson Bronstein could occur even though the central government might abhor it and even be ashamed of it.
This he explained on the ground that the execution of laws “that would be a credit to any civilized country” is left in the hands of local prefects “whose methods of government are those of the Turkish Satrap of the Middle Ages, a system which prevailed in the Roumanian provinces until the latter part of the 19th century. Any one who opposes the rule of the prefect risks being tortured, or even hung without trial, regardless of the laws of the central government.”
Mr. Braham said “it must be remembered that the national government does not condone these acts of torture although it may appear to do so because of its desire to cover up these occurrences. The secrecy is the result of shame felt on the part of the national officials.”
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