The Denver Jewish news., 1919-12-10
The Dignified Demands
of the Roumanian Jews
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MIR. BRA.
TIANO AND JEWISH LEADERS
OF COUNTRY.
By LEO wOLFSON.

by Leu ,Nol.r SoN.
Copyright by international Jewish
Press Bureau, Inc.)
To an observer of the life of the
Jews in Roumania, the most interest.
ing phenomenon lies in the personnel of
their leaders, and in the courage and
the dignity which these leaders uis-
play on every occasion. Now, it is
no longer the custom TO stand with
those in power for little charity and
mercy. Nor are the leaders now chosen
from among the wealthiest and most
influential Jews. ROumanian Jewish
leaders nowadays are just simple. mp
right and trained men, who have a
grasp of the situation, and who are
prepared to do their duty under any
and MI circumstances. Everything Is
now done In the open. courageously and
straightfOrwardly. Never have the
ROumanian Jews had such confidence
in their leaders as now, and never has
their confidence been more justified.
In 1913, when pogroms were raging
in Bucharest. Braila. and other cities,
the Jewish leaders submitted to the
Minister of the Interior an energetic
protest and memorandum. Among
other things, they demanded in no un-
certain terms. and without any di
plomatic circumlocutiOns First. that
all who had melted. participated. and
carried thru the pogrOms should be Sc
verely punished according to the penal
laws of the land: second. that COM
missions should be appointed consist
ing Of representatives of the govern
ment and also representatives of the
ROumanian Jewish Union. which
should determine the damages the
Jews had suffered and see to it that
they be Immediately compensated
third, that the government, taking in
to consideration the fact that large
number of public officials were i'm:
plicated in what had occurred. should
openly declare that 1t disapprOves of
and is opposed to the nti-Semitic out
breaks;- fourth, considering that the
scnsibilfties of the Jews were deeply
wounded over the attacks upon and
destruction of their .synagogs, GENE
teries, and other communal institu-
tions, an official representative of the
Ministry of Public Instruction and Cul-
ture should attend the ceremonies
which would take place at the re-
opening of the synagogs. and should
then and there express the regret of
the government, and also openly de-
clare that the government is absolute
ly opposed to the eNcesses which were
committed at the time Of the out
breaks.
More than little courage was need
cd in order to submit these demands
especially in Roumania:
A copy of this memorandum was
sent to the King. and one to the Rou-
manian Premier, Bratiano. A commit
tee of the Union of Roumanian Jews.
consisting of three men, Or. F.. DIR.
NJ, and DR.. E., spoke with the Min
lister of the Interior and requested
that their demands be acceded to.
At the same time, the committee
had an audience with Mr. Bratiano.
concerning the. memorandum and its
demands. The attitude of the mem
bers of the committee ut that audience
must arouse the greatest admiration
shall here report in part the con
versation which took place:
Mr.. Bratiano: Before l had read
your memorandum, I had intended to
speak to you in Il certain tenor. but
now after having read it, 1 must speak
in quite a different fashion. l have
not had the time to read the document
in its entirety, but l did read your
demands, and from those it would ap-
pear that you have not the right atti-
rude. l did want to work toward
harmony between the two peoples who
are destined to live together; but !
see that you are declaring war upon
the government. The government can
not concur in the statement that the
outbreaks were of an anti-Semitic
nature, and still less cun the govern
ment agree that it, or the authorities
have permitted such outbreaks. This
request alone shows that you wish to
wage war against the government Of
the country. And I warn you that
such war can probably bring much
harm to Roumania and to its people
hut the government will not be silent.
and measures will be taken which will
undoubtedly bring much suffering to
the Jews in general and particularly
to their leaders.