Yugoslavia’s 70,000 Jews were today without representation in either house of Parliament as a result of the Government’s failure to renew the appointment of Chief Rabbi Isaac Alkalay, only Jewish occupant of the Senate since that body was established. Dr. Alkalay was an intimate friend of the late King Alexander.
News of Dr. Alkalay’s dropping from the Senate has created a profound impression in the Jewish community, which is concerned at the development of anti-Jewish propaganda.
It has been definitely established that the growing agitation against Jews is stimulated by funds from Germany, brought in through the German State Tourist Bureau. The leading anti-Jewish organ here, Balkan, is German-financed. The Jewish Community recently appealed to the authorities to halt its campaign of slander and was promised an investigation. The most influential section of the Yugoslav press is not affected by the propaganda against Jews.
The Minister of Interior’s order tightening border control to check influx of Jewish refugees from Rumania is being rigidly executed. A group of Rumanian Jewish students returning to Yugoslav to resume their studies at universities here after the holidays was halted at the frontier and refused permission to enter the country.
(William E. Dodd, former Ambassador to Germany, predicted Thursday night that the situation prevailing in Rumania would develop soon in Yugoslavia and Austria.)
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