The Denver Jewish news., 1919-07-16


ZIP his office.
same offences ROumanian soldiers have
been sentenced only from three to five
years? Let me tell you of one case-
the most cruel and unjust l have ever
come acrOss-and which desire to call
to your particular attention, with the
hope that you will see to II that justice
is done. A soldier Itxig CiobOtaru,
do not know anything about him,
nor his family or relations, but have
exact copies Of the complete record of
this case. Twice this soldier was lost
In some woods in some of the war
campaigns and twice he had returned
to his company. In one OF the battles
he was taken as u prisoner. Upon his
c0mpanys records he was marked as
u deserter, and In his absence was
tried by court martial and upon the
Testimony given by three witnesses.
WIS sentenced to death. When Itzig
Ciobotaru was freed he returned to his
company. He demanded n revision Of
lsis trial and it was granted. Upon the
trial, two Of the witnesses stated that
their previous testimony was based up
on information given to them by tic
third witness, and that they have no
personal knowledge of the facts they
had previously testified to. The third
witness testified and the presiding Of
ficer OF thc court martial orde,~sl his
arrest stating that his scstimony is
evidently false. and yet said, Mr..
Premier. that court martial by vote
of three against two sentenced Itxig
CiObotaru to DEATH"
Mr.. BratianO listened with evident
interest to my expose and snid. Il must
admit that many injustices have been
done to the Jews. particularly by tue
court martials. ] have never interven-
rd in any military cnses. except once.
end that was to save Jew. I nm
trying to do my best to set things
straight and correct existing evils to
the extent that 1t Is possible" He
usked me to present to him within n
day or two a, memorandum of the ease
II Itxig Ciobotaru and he will order an
investigation.
stance ask for the imDediate release
OF this man NO evidently Innocent, and
as to the general question of the So
called desertion cases and other mill
tary offences alleged to have been com
mitted by Jews, general amnesty
law should be passed for their benc-
fit. You cannot, I said, go on asking
friendship with one hand and with
the other persecute the Jews in the
manner 1t is being done by the court
iaartials.
L then attempted to 60 into some "f
the past history and the Premier III
terupted me by saying. "Of course If
you desire to go into the past, l anu
ready to do so, let lis however stop
here, by an admission that many err
rors of policy and Judgment, have been
committed by both the ROumaninn
Government and the Jews; l know also
that the Jews have suffered from many
injustices. Let us consider however THO
present. Nothing good can come out
of rehearsing of the old hatreds. Con-
tInuing l replied that If he is ready
to do substantial Justice. and consider
my statements and act upon my sug-
gestions, there is no doubt that much
can be done Just now to heal the breach
ind l should be happy to assist In
doing so. He said that he will give
due consideration to what I said.
He offered to give me letter to the
Minister of the Interior to aid me in
any investigations ! may desire TO
make. He also assured me that he
means to do the right thing. and l
should call his attention to any severe
cases which may come to my notice.
and he will try to do all he can to
right any injustice. .-t
He wished me Bon voyage TO Ron-
mania. and we parted.