Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-20
100 Year Injustice
to Runrdnid Ends

members of foreign races are advocates
OF union with Rumania.
The victory of the "unionists' at the
elections is largely due to the democratic
policy pursued by the Rumanian au
thorities in Bessarabia and to the energy
with which they have taken in hand
the economic restoration Of the coun-
try. When the Rumanian army nrst
entered Bessarabia--in the darkest hour
of defeat and German invasion-it was
regarded in many quarters as posslDie
menace to the democratic liberties which
the country had just won Tor ltset
out of the chaos Of the Russian en-
pire's collapse.
In the beginning the Rumanian mil
itary authorities, like all military au,
thorities when invested with political
power, made grave mistakes IN their
trea tment of the population, but the
Bucharest government, which itself soon
underwent healthful democratic trans
formation, remedied these blunders in
time by introducing radical reforms
which rapidly convinced the people that
union with Rumania involved no dan
ger Of reactionary rule.
Agrarian Reform Is Popular
Foremost among the democratic meas
ures was the Agrarian reform by ex-
preparation of the great landowners who
had oppressed and exploited the peas
ants under the old Russian administra-
ton. Some extremists, bewildered by
revolutionary developments In Russia,
demanded that all estates should be di-
vided among the peasants without any
compensation to their former owners.
The Rumanian Government rejected
this Bolshevik plan and fixed adequate
rates of compensation, but the land
| will in future belong to the peasants.
This agrarian reform has already proved
sovereign remedy against bolshev
ism and at the same time 1t has ce-
mented the union between the Rumanian
| dynasty and the masses Of the people.
The Bessarabian peasants have be-
slowed upon King Ferdinand the title
of "the peasants king" by which he
is now popularity known all over the
country to his new subjects:
Another successful democratic meas
ure is the administrative decentraliza- =
tion of Bcssarabia, which was estab-
lished by the "act of union" Of April
0. 1918. Until this time a military
| high commissioner had been at the head
of the administration. Today the coun-
try is administrated by special min =
lister for Bessarabia, assisted by six
directors of departments for internal
affairs, justice, commerce, education,
finance and police.
Ca, r,,,,a A,,...
''op i'"" T,u'o"o"s
| This administration virtually amounts
TO an autonomous government, and,
it is, indeed, first step toward full
Bessarabian autonomy within the limits
OF union with the mother country.
Finally, full political equality of all
| races and nntionalitips has heen o1tar
anteed Bessarabia by the Rumanian
Government. Parliament and all Off
cial posts are open to all citizens what
ever may be their nationality or re-
ligion. Government offices and munici-
pal councils are full Of non Rumanians
Many of these are Jews.
:, Con'taai na faai; " .fe hest;,;tn oe o DER
manians against the Jewish religion
The devout peasants cross themselves
when passing in front of q synagogu,
lust az they do in front of their owr
churches, for TO them all places O
prayer and devotion are equally house.
Of God. 1t is as profiteers, not as ad
herepts of an alien creed, that som,
Jews are regarded with suspicion.
The principle of the union of Bessara
bia with Rumania-being clearly baset
ON national self nation-wa,
never seriously contested by the Su
preme Council. The allied diplomatl
argued. however. that they must with
hold official recognition while so man,
other Russian Droblems remained up
solved.
Some time ago the Rumanian delega
ton in Paris submitted to the Suprem
Council an Interesting proposal. The,
asked the Allies to recognize oil tn
new national states on the western Dor
ders of the former Russian empire, il
return for which recognition thes
. states, which form the richest province
of czarist Russia. would undertake t.
assume and pay the entire Russian debt
thus settling satisfactorily a most diff
l ,v,, ro,... ,o,a,,,
, "ou'o iSo'"'e Do'she''s'h
They pointed out that these states
If fortified by recognition OF their ma
tional independence. would prove mos
effective isolators OF central and west
crn Europe against the Bolshevik cur
rent.
1t was the minister for Bessarabia
r Ciugureano, who placed this propose
before the supreme council. 1t wol
Lloyd George $ approval but the Coun
ellis incuraDle habits OF procrastinatio
, again prevailed, and nothing was done
| AS consequence, the Ukraine, whic
was to have played an important par
in the execution OF the plan, has talle
orcHy rc FvH" eHSdiDs @ ali participatioH in tn tn