A wave of indignation was aroused in Roumania by the shooting of six young Jews of Soroca during an attempt to cross the frontier into Soviet Russia, the report of the Joint Foreign Committee presented to-day by Mr. d’Avigdor Goldsmid to the meeting of the Board of Jewish Deputies states. Inspired by a desire to obtain employment, it says, the party is reported to have arranged with a frontier guard, through a smuggler, for safe passage across the frontier. When the attempt was made the party were met by a party of frontier guards, who shot them down without warning. A military inquiry exculpated the guards on the ground that the victims were Communists who were attempting to-convey valuable information into Soviet Russia. A demand for a Parliamentary inquiry by the Jewish Deputy Landau is reported to have been acceded to by the Government.
The position in Roumania still remains an anxious one, Mr. Goldsmid added.
Mr. Percy Cohen claimed that a breach of the Minorities Treaties had been made by the Soroca incident. I think, he said, that we ought to find out something about the family history of the six men who were shot, in view of the fact that the Government alleges that they were Communists. I am no Communist myself, but there is no crime in being a Communist. I think that if these men were not Communists, we should tell the world.
Mr. Goldsmid, in his reply, referred to the request made in the Roumanian Parliament for a full enquiry, and said that it would be advisable to await the result of that enquiry, in view of the fact that it was reported that the request for such an enquiry had been acceded to.
If we can make certain private enquiries in regard to the family history of the shot men, he added, we shall take steps to do so.
ANXIOUS CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO SITUATION OF JEWS IN GERMANY
The Committee has given anxious consideration to the situation of the Jews in Germany, and the dangerous nature of the agitation conducted by the Hitlerist Party, the report of the Joint Foreign Committee further states.
The economic situation in the country, unfortunately, shows no signs of improvement, it proceeds, and until such improvement does set in, an amelioration in the political situation is not anticipated.
The election for the presidency of the Republic which is about to take place is another disturbing factor, though it is not anticipated that Field-Marshal Hindenburg will fail to secure re-election.
Mr. S. Finburgh, former Member of Parliament for Selford, raised a protest against the possible admission of Hitler into England as a visitor. We should notify the authorities that we resent Hitler’s activities against Jews, he said, and that we protest against his admission into England on the ground that he is a dangerous alien.
HER SECRETARY OF BOARD
The recommendation of the Joint Foreign Committee and the Law and Parliamentary Committee to appoint Mr. B. A. Zaiman, till now Assistant Secretary, to be Secretary of the Board of Deputies and the Joint Foreign Committee, and to appoint Mr. A. G. Brotman, till recently representative of the educational interests of the Anglo-Jewish Association in Iraq, as Assistant Secretary, was adopted by the Board without discussion.
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