Evening star., 1946-11-17
u. s, Britain Protest
Anew 10 Romania on
Elections tuesday
BY the Assoeiatsd Press

p
BY the Assoeiatsd Press
BUCHAREST, Romania, Nov. is.
The British and American gov
ernments presented notes ito the
RonlanfAn government today pro-
testing anew the conduct of next
Tuesday Romanian elections, in
which Tebhari Georgescu, Com
munist interior Minister, predicted
there VIII be broken heads but no
major Incidents.
The notes were understood to ex4
press dissatisfaction with Romania's S
reply to previous British and Amer
lean notes regarding the elections.
THE State Department said
the American note was delivered
to the government of Premier
Petru Groza by Burton Y. Berry,
American political representative
5 in Ronnania. The note, the
fourth in q series since May,
sought again to prod Romania
into holding free and untram-
meled election.
(T,he notes of May 27, June II
and October % criticized the
campaign arrangements and al
legged discrimination against OPP
position parties. In reply, Ro-
mania charged interference in
her internal and sovereign af-
fairs. The latest American note
said this plea was inadmiSsible,
and that American interest in
the election was derived from its
obligation under the Big Three
pledge at Yalta to sponsor free
and democratic elections in the
liberated countries.
(The three opposition parties
in Romania appealed to Britain,
Russia and the United States
yesterday to see that there Is a
free ballot, alleging their follow
ers were being "terrorized" by
the government.)
Eleetioneering Feverish.
Feverish last-minute electioneer-
ing dominated Romania on the eve
of the elections. Supporters of the
government bloc were busy smearing
miles of Bucharest's walls with post
ers, lcudspeaker trucks were blaring
slogans continuously. Women, voting
in Romania for the first time, added
their voices to the campaign fervor
by urging women to vote.
For the first time in many days
small groups of the opposition were
out shouting their slogans. A few
meetings also have been
held the last few days, but they
were behind closed doors.
Fearing clashes, despite the fact
that the campaign has passed off SO
far without serious incident, troops
were held at the ready at their bar
racks. Police patrols also were in
creased.
Mr.. Georgescu in a news confer
ence yesterday admitted widespread
searches had been made by police
for arms and that 200 members OF
the opposition had been thrown into
Jail, but he declared all were being
released for the elections except
those who are to be tried by mill
tary courts.
The 38-year-old Communist ac-
cused his opponents, especially the
National Peasant Party, of prepar-
ing disorders for election day, saying
they had distributed instructions to
their followers not to leave the vot-
ing places until the vote was
counted, whereas the law says they
must leave Immediately after cast
ing their ballots.
In reply to a question he said he
expected there would be some broken
heads but no major incidents.
Eyasive About Radio Time.
Mr.. Georgescu declared the oppo-
sition parties were free to conduct
their campaigns and propaganda
and that the press was free, but
when asked about equality of time
on the radio for opponents he tool
evasive action by saying he had not
been approached on that question.
The Interior Minister also evadet
d direct answer to a question
whether the new Parliament might
invalidate the elections of some
opponents on the grounds the,
were former Iron Guardists ane
collaborationists.
The official said 1865, ,7s4 person.
had registered to vote. 6,129,043 ii
rural areas. In the 1928 election.
about 3.70o, 900 registered and 1900.
600 voted. Tens of thousands hav,
been politically incapacitated be.
cause of allegations they collabo.
rated with the Germans.
Units In Government Bloc.
The issue is drawn between tn,
six parties of the government bio,
and three opposition parties. Tn.
government bloc is made I'D oj
Communists, Socialists, dissident
National Liberals, dissident Ma.
tional Peasants, a government.
sponsored Middle Glass Party ane
the Ploughmen's Front.
The opposition is composed ot
the National Liberals, said by thu
government to Orient its polio,
toward heavy industries and bis
banks, the National Peasants, ane
the independent Socialists.
The government bloc has issued
a clearcut platform that stands
halfway between a moderate Cen.
trist program and what might be
compared to the British Labor
Governments policies. While this
middle program has not drawn
much fire, many people fear that
a Parliament dominated by the
bloc may go far beyonT the ofIicial
program.
The opposition has suffered from
disunity and has not been able tc
focus on detailed program.
Burtonsville Oyster Fete
The women's society and the mems
club OF the Burtonsville (Md.l Meth
u l-..L l.