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Rumanian Peasants’ Leader Denies Shift from Democracy in Pact with Iron Guard

November 30, 1937
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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THE ELECTION PACT ENTERED INTO BY THE NATIONAL PEASANTS PARTY WITH THE ANTI-SEMITIC IRON GUARDS DOES NOT INDICATE A SHIFT FROM ITS DEMOCRATIC PROGRAM, DR. JULIUS MANIU, PRESIDENT OF THE PARTY, AVERRED IN A STATEMENT TO FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS.

DECLARING THE OBJECT OF THE PACT WAS STRICTLY TO ENSURE “FREE ELECTIONS,” DR. HANIU, ONE-TIME PREMIER OF RUMANIA, SAID: “WE HAVE NOT MOVED ONE STEP TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT. WE BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY, TRUE CONSTITUTIONALISM AND CONSTRUCTIVE NATIONALISM. IF OUR PARTY HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO POWER WE WOULD HAVE ACTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE AND TOLERANCE TOWARD ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES.”

WHILE THE JEWISH PARTY HAS DECIDED TO CONTEST THE DECEMBER GENERAL ELECTION AS AN INDEPENDENT BODY, THE UNION OF RUMANIAN JEWISH HAS INDICATED THAT IT WILL NOT SUBMIT A SEPARATE SLATE, ADVISING ITS MEMBERSHIP TO VOTE FOR THE PARTY WHOSE PROGRAM CORRESPONDS WITH THEIR INTERESTS.

IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT NEITHER THE LIBERAL NOR NATIONAL PEASANTS PARTY HAS INCLUDED JEWISH CANDIDATES AND WILL NOT CONCLUDE AN ELECTORAL PACT WITH THE UNION OF RUMANIAN JEWS.

THE UNION, IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY, HAS NOT ACCEPTED THE RESIGNATION OF DR. WILLIAM FILDERMAN, RECENTLY PROFFERED. A DELEGATION OF LEADING JEWISH PERSONALITIES WILL ASK HIM TO RECONSIDER.

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