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“jidanis” in Roumanian Parliament: Country on Brink of Revolution Says M. Goga Former Minister of in

December 2, 1931
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M. Goga, who was Minister of the Interior in the Averescu Government, speaking in Parliament last night, warned the House that Roumania is on the brink of a Revolution.

One of the Cuzist Deputies, Deputy Robu, thereupon rose to complain that the whole trouble is due to the leniency with which the Jews are treated in Roumania. Why, he said, two-thirds of the judges in Bukovina are Jidanis (the abusive term for Jew), and they are doing all sorts of terrible things to the Roumanian peasants in Bukovina. Jews were not to be trusted with judicial positions. How could a Jidani be a judge?

Dr. Lupu, the leader of the Peasants’ Party and a former Minister of the Interior, protested against Deputy Robu’s allegation.

Deputy Dr. Singer, one of the members of the Jewish Parliamentary Party, complained of the use of the word “Jidani”, contending that it was not a Parliamentary expression. and he urged the chair to demand that Deputy Robu should withdraw it. It is impossible that a population of a million people who have given the State loyal service and many trustworthy judges, he said, should be insulted in this way in Parliament, and that the chairman should not call the offending Deputy to order.

Deputy Artareanu, of the Liberal Party, said that it was characteristic that neither the Chairman nor anyone on the Government benches had pulled up the speaker when he had used the insulting term for Jew.

To this Deputy Robu retorted: I am fighting, and I shall go on fighting, to get the Jidanis removed from the judicature.

M. Valerian Pop, the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, then rose and said:

I declare that the judiciary in Roumania is completely trustworthy, irrespective of the religious or racial affiliation of any of the judges.

A great deal of dissatisfaction exists, however, because the Minister made no reference to the use of the objectionable word “Jidani”.

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