The Hebrew Standard (May 10, 1907)
The Hilfsverein der Deutschen Juden in Berlin, states, with reference to the distress occasioned by the recent troubles in Roumania, that its Vice-President, Dr. Paul Nathan, proceeded to Bucharest to ensure the systematic organization of relief work. With this object a committee has been formed, headed by Chief Rabbi Dr. Beck, and comprising the most influential Jews in Roumania, and M. Astruc, representative of the Jewish Colonization Association. The committee has sent emissaries to all the places where Jews suffered losses in order to ascertain the extent of the damage; but although the collection of facts and figures is being carried on with the utmost despatch [sic], a few weeks will elapse before the work is completed. On his return from Roumania, Dr. Nathan passed through Vienna, where he arranged with the Israelitschen Allianz that the society should be the intermediary for all communication between the Bucharest Committee and the Jewish organizations in foreign countries. Dr. Nathan is of opinion that although the situation in Roumania has not altogether lost its serious character, it is at present not more threatening for Jews than for the other inhabitants of the country. He confirms our own statement that the first outbreaks in Moldavia were purely anti-Semitic. While at Bucharest he had interviews with M. Sturdza, the Prime Minister, and M. Bratiano, Minister of the Interior, to whom he pleaded for the amelioration of the position of the Roumanian Jews. M. Bratiano formally assured him that all inhabitants of Roumania, regardless of creed or nationality, would be equally protected.
A case of some importance to native Jews is engaging the attention of the Tribunal of Ilsov, before which Cociu Abramescu, who had been expelled from the country, is charged with having returned to Roumania without permission. The Crown Prosecutor raised the objection that the Court was incompetent to try the case as it concerned a conflict between a foreigner and the State. M. Pantazi, counsel for the defendant, pleaded on the other hand, that the Court was competent to decide the case, as Abramescu was not an alien, and was therefore not guilty of the charge imputed to him. Counsel also pointed out that already in the time of Prince Moruzzi, a distinction was made between native Jews and Jews who were subjects of a foreign State, and even then the State had no right to expel native Jews. He cited several cases of native Jews who, having committed offences against the law, were not expelled, whereas in like circumstances foreign Jews were liable to expulsion. Further the Court of Cassation had frequently decided that native Jews were Roumanian subjects and therefore could not be expelled. Cociu Abramescu, like his parents, was born in the country, had served in the army with the rank of sergeant, and had always enjoyed Roumanian protection. The result of the case, we learn, was being awaited with great interest.
Consequent on a circular of the Minister of the Interior that all Jews residing in villages who did not fulfil the stipulations of Article 5 affecting the organization of rural communes, should be expelled, a large number of Jews have been driven from the villages in the districts of Jassy and Dorohoi.