Evening star., 1928-11-06
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

no hesitation in condemning Rou-
manian discrimination against the
Jews, were suddenly confronted with
the moral obligation to urge the repeal
of the grandfather clauses of the
Southern States, and of the anti
japanese legislation of the Pacific
Slope. The conference could of course,
through the League, abolish war, but
racial discrimination in the United
States was beyond its jurisdiction; and
the American opposition forced the
Roumanians to withdraw their pro-
posal."
Then the allies and Rumania entered
into a treaty in which Runlania spe-
officially agreed (Article D: Differ
ences of religion, creed or confession
shall not prejudice any Roumanian ma
tional in matters relating to the enjoy
ment of civil or political rights, as, for
instance. admission to public employ
ments, functions and honors, or the
exercise of professions and industries.
mo restrictions shall be imposed on
the free use by any Roumanian national
OF any language in private intercourse,
in commerce, in religion, in the press
or in publications of any kind or at
public meetings.
But this liberty was confined to "na-
demonstrated that it did not cover the
thousands of Jews and Christians who
are not citizens. The population of the
annexed territory was required by law
to produce documentary proofs that
they had been actual citizens of the
regions annexed; otherwise they were
ineligible to become nationals" of
Greater Rumania. Rumanians profess
to fear ultimate domination by the
Jews, who today number less than
100000 in a total of 100000. So they
throw all possible obstacles to their ac-
quirement of citizenship. The same at
titude applies to Rumanians who have
become Baptists or Presbyterians or Ro-
man Catholics.
There has been published. within
the last few weeks a book entitled
"Roumania Ten Years After" 1t is a
report of certain commissioners sent
from America to investigate that
country. by the American committee on
the rights of religious minorities. The
committee includes Chief Justice Taft.
Mr.. Herbert Hoover, the late former
Secretary of State, Robert Lansing. and
score or more of other very prom
lnent AmericanS-Senators, bishops and
rabbis.
The report more than verifes the
fragmentary news that has persisted
concerning prosecutions of both Jews
and Christians, the latter not adhering
to the Orthodox Church, and in the
Appendix, written by a French pastor
who accompanied the Americans, ap-
pears a paragraph which Is read with
dismay by those who maintain hopes
from the change of power, now falling
into the hands Of peasants. 80 per cent
of the total population being illiterate:
Our people, they have told me-"
writes Pastor Jules Jezequel, ARE q
peasant people, poor and ignorant.
These peasants, naturally live in the
country. This hands the towns over
to the Jews. and permits them to in
wade the banks, and to take possession
of commerce and industry. We saw
the danger of our country being led
and exploited by the Jews, strangers
who hate us, and whose race are sewers
of ruin and anarchy. This IS a mortal
danger to our country We have noti-
fled the government of the danger, but
it has not moved in the matter. We
have appealed to the intellectuals, to
the elite We have been met with
only silence and inertia on their part.
Therefore seeing that no one will act
for the good of the country, We have
taken the only course that remained
to us. that of violence. We do not
pretend to solve the question in that
way, but to establish the fact"
So Pastor Jezequel adds: 1T has been
so established and brutally. During
the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1925 and
1927. with or without pretext, disturb
ances have not ceased in the universi-
ties of Rumania, which have had to
be closed several times"
y y X
The persecution Is not confined to
Jews. The American committee re-
ports:
often the Baptists are prevented
from holding their services. Worship
ers are often surprised by the GEN.
darme on their way to and from serv-
ice. are arrested. put in prison and
maltreated in a most disgraceful way.
In one case Baptist preacher in Bes-
sarabia was beaten until he bled, and
then put in prison, with his wife and
two children. Another preacher was
condemned for seven months in prison
for preaching. In the district
of Cernauti. gendarme came into
the house of Baptist and removed
with his weapon motto from the wall,
saving that such things were not al
lowed in Rumania. . We were in
formed that in December, 1926, a group
nj r ptsts were driven by gendarme
into the river in Securini. and held
waist deep In the icy water four hours"