The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1919-10-08
Situation in Kishineff
Very Difficult
JEWS BEING .ROUMANIANIZED
By FORCE OF MARTIAL LAW
EVERYWHERE.
By LEO woIFsoN.9

copyrighted by Jewish Press Bnreau
Kishineff gave, me princely recep-
tion. AlthO ] had not informed any
one where | was going or when was
TO arrive in any particular city. Kish-
ineff seemed to know that was com
ing and also on what day. A com
mittee consisting of representatives OF
the Rolimanian Ministry for Bessa IA
hia. of the Town Council. of tile press.
and also of the Jewish newspaper, 'The
Bcssarabian Life" came to the station
TO receive me officially. AS i did not
expect any reception. nor was notified
about it. drove off alone to the Hotel
few days of my visit.
had hurdly entered my room than
] was told that n committee wished
To see me. When the committee was
shown in. they introduced themselves
as: Mr.. Pan Halipa. President of tho
Bcssa rabian Press club and Director
WI thC
V. Beanstein of the City Council; Mr.
Gherman Paintea, former Minister of
War of the Bcssarabian Republic. and
publisher Of the ROumanian paper
"Sfatul Tarci.v and the Russian paper
'Bcssa rabia": Mr.. Nadolin of the Yid
dish paper; Mr. Noe of the Roumanian
Mediterranean.
Rasty and several other newspaper men
Several members of the committee
made short speeches of welcome and
greeting on the power of the press
and finally they invited me to han
quct to be given in my honor the same
evening l was taken by surprise at
hospitality and at such marks of CON
sidcratiOn. and in n few words express
ed my thanks. We then sat down to n
conversation about happenings at
Paris. First gave them an interview
and then ] questioned them about the
I.essarabian situation, particularly as
II affects the Jews.
The whole affair struck me as very
peculiar Indeed. had already he
come accustomed to the friendly recep-
lions of the ROumanian government of
ficials. but here they Outlid ~ the
others. l thought to myself: Here
they must have sinned more heavily
90, ,,,t tho Ja,rs
went ont to see the town. The
first things to attract my attention
were the signs in the ROumanian Ian
g,iage. All shops without exception
had signs-half in ROumanian. and
half in Russian. wondered that the
Jews had so soon entirely "Rouman-
innizcd'' themselves. altho the signs
were replcte with comical errors. Later.
found out that this hud not been
labor of love. On a certain day. the
Minister had issued an order that UNI
til IL fixed time all stores must carry
signs In the Roumanian language. Some
of the shop-keepers obeyed the order:
those who failed to do so were heavily
penalized. and had to put up the sign.
They had to pay outrageous prices for
signs-the sign profiteers had a gold
on harvest.
I had long talk with one of the
most prominent Kishineff Jews about
Jewish conditions in Bessarabia under
the Roumanian rule. I also met ten
of the most influential Jews in Kisl-
ineff at the home of one of them, and
discussed the situation with them. The
meeting took place behind closed doors
and almost In the dark. l also spoke
with the Kishineff Rabbi. DIR. Zircl-
son.
The Jewish situation, may practical
ly be summa rized us follows: Rid of
the old Czaristic regime. when Jewish
life was tragic all over Russia. the
Jews breathed freely for a short time
under the rule of Prince Lvoff and
Kerensky. They attained their great
est degree Of freedom, however. dur
ing the short-lived Bessarabian Re
public. They were among the leading
forces of the Republic. and filled many
important positions. This was indeed
a golden era. hut it was all too short.
The Republic could not exist. simply
because the Allies refused to recognize
it, and was actually starved out of ex-
istence for lack of money. 1t was nm
der these circumstances that Roumania
took advantage Of the opportunity
brought tremendous influence to bear
upon the parliament, and Bessarabia
declared herself part of Roumania. As
a matter of fact. large part OF Bes