Dr. G. C. Hunter, Member of American Commission Denounces R0umania

(Jewish Daily Balletin)

Roumania’s treatment of the religious minorities, especially the Jews in that country, has been in many cases, atrocious and shocking, Dr. Graham C. Hunter of Fullerton, Calif., declared in an address at St. John’s Presbyterian Church. Dr. Hunter recently returned from the Balkans, where he was a member of the commission of five, sent by the American Committee of the Rights of Religious Minorities, to find out the truth of reports of serious oppression of the religious minorities.

“Roumania has now nearly three times her pre-war territory and population,” he said, “and her mistreatment of her minorities has in many instances been atrocious and shocking. A violent movement, originated about five years ago against the Jews, came to a head’ last spring. An organization of students calling itself the National Christian Students’ Defense League, undertook to organize the universities against Jewish students and professors and to drive the Jews out of the professions, business, commissions and army. It included several university professors in its membership and until last June had the acquiescence if not the backing of the government. Its followers even undertook to throw Jewish passengers off the train.

“The other minorities suffered greatly, although not so greatly as the Jews. The fine old schools, Roman Catholic, Unitarian and Protestant, some of them 300 years old, are being slowly strangled to death.

“In Hungary we found that there were many abominable persecutions of the Jews and on the other hand a vigorous enlightened group, including Count Bethlen, one of the ablest spokesmen of Europe. The standard of living there. as also among the minorities of Romania. is desperately low. Workmen are in despair as they see no prospect of anything better for their children.”