The Hebrew Standard (March 29, 1907)
TEN THOUSAND JEWS HOMELESS—DESTITUTION TERRIBLE—OFFICIALS LOOKED ON WHILE CITY IS TAKEN.
10,000 Jews Homeless.
VIENNA.—The present uprising in Moldavia continues unchecked. To date 85 persons have been killed, 400 farms have been devastated, 8,000 fugitives have fled into Austria and 10,000 Jews are homeless.
The estimate of 10,000 Jews without homes is considered here to be conservative. Most of these fugitives saved absolutely nothing, escaping only with their lives. Four thousand Jews fled to Bucharest, where the authorities are now making every effort to assist them, but nevertheless they are almost all obliged to sleep in the open air.
Statement by Ex-Premier.
LONDON. —That the Rumanian Government considers the recent trouble in Moldavia and Wallachia to be a result of similar disturbances in the adjacent provinces of Russia, and not of an anti-Jewish character, is evident from a communication made to the Associated Press by Premier Cantacuzene and telegraphed by him from Bucharest to London. The Premier says:
“The grave troubles which have broken out in Rumania do not arise from any anti-Semitic feeling. They are of a well defined agrarian character. The peasants are not only devastating the houses and farms of Jewish farmers, but also those of Rumanian landed proprietors. It is undeniable that these sad occurrences are in part a result of the agitation now prevalent in Russia, especially in Bessarabia, which borders on Rumania.
“The Rumanian Government is acting promptly. It is taking energetic measures to restore order, and it hopes that by active military intervention the rioting quickly will be suppressed. Immediately thereafter the Government will introduce a series of measures providing for the necessary agrarian reforms.”
Synagogue Wrecked and Jews Wounded.
BUCHAREST, March 24.—As a train conveying peasant Reservists from the district of Teleorman, on the Danube, was proceeding to Moldavia it was stopped at the town of Alexandria by a large number of Reservists belonging there. They stoned the train and persuaded their fellow-reservists to join them in demolishing a synagogue and in completely ruining Jewish and Greek shops.
The rioters were charged by cavalry and took refuge in a neighboring wood.
The authorities have warned all Jews in the small towns and villages to leave immediately for the sake of safety and large numbers are constantly arriving here.
In view of the serious state of affairs, a number of members of the Chamber of Deputies intend to propose the proclamation of a state of siege in the disturbed districts.
The Conservative Cabinet has resigned and a Liberal Ministry has been formed under the presidency of M. Sturdza, who was Premier in a former Cabinet.
SOFIA, March 24.—News received here from Sistoff and Nikopoli, Bulgaria, is to the effect that many Jewish refugees and large Christian landed proprietors have arrived there in boats, feeling from the excesses and persecutions of the insurgent Roumanian peasants.
ODESSA, March 24.—The Odesski Novosti asserts that it is in possession of information connecting the anti-Semitic excesses in Roumania and the provocative agitation in Bessarabia with the machinations of the Union of True Russian People.
The paper says that in consequence of this Premier Stolypin has telegraphed to the Governor of Bessarabia, urging immediate energetic measures to prevent the spread of disorders in that province.
VIENNA, March 24.—Despite the fears of serious disturbances in Roumania, especially at Jassy, to-day passed with comparative quiet, so far as the news received here indicates. It seems that the energetic precautions taken by the Government proved effective.
While the news from Jassy is satisfactory, reports from Bukowina, on the frontier, are less favorable. In the mountains of Borujeni various bands of farmers wait for fugitives, whom they pillage and maltreat. They then disappear in the mountains, thus carrying on a kind of guerrilla war. It is said that the Roumanian gendarmes participate in these outrages.
In the District of Dorogoi excesses are still going on, while it is reported that in the Allessandria Province of Wallachia many Jews have been wounded and their buildings destroyed.
Jews Destitute.
BERLIN, March 26.—A representative of the Jewish Relief Society wires from Burdujeni that the border city of Bucowina was given up to plundering for two days, the officials doing nothing to prevent it. Most of the Jews, who numbered 400 families, escaped, but only with their bare lives.
It is feared that excesses also will be committed at Gabatz and Jassy.
At present there are no Jews in Burdujeni, all having fled to Suczawa, where 400 families are destitute.
Two cablegrams have been received at the headquarters of the Roumanian Central Relief Committee, 97 Forsyth street. One read:
Tirgul, Frumos, Roumania,
March 26, 1907.
J. Weitzner, 97 Forsyth street, New York:
Immediate relief Tirgul necessary. Complete information follows.
WEITZNER.
The cable was in response to one sent to Tirgul Sunday night. The second cable comes from a merchant of Bucece named Sloime Zaraf. From the date line the Roumanian Jews in this city believe he traveled to Botushani, eight miles distant, to send the cable without arousing suspicion. It reads:
Botushani, March 26, 1907.
Roumanian Central Relief Committee, New York:
Telegraph help Bucece, people dying of hunger. Address SLOIME ZARAF.
The Relief Committee will send $5,000 to Roumania for the relief of the Jews to-day.
Action in This Country.
Naturally the Roumanian Jews in this country have been deeply moved by the sad news from the country of their birth. A number of meetings have been held on the east side with the result that a Roumanian Central Relief Committee has been formed.
At the meeting held on Sunday the following letters from Mr. Jacob H. Schiff and Judge Rosalsky were read.
Mr. Schiff wrote:
“The American Jewish Committee is endeavoring, through the Sate Department and by direct communication with Roumania, to get a correct report on the unfortunate situation and will bring this before the meeting of the Russian Massacre General Committee which has been called for next Thursday. At this meeting it is proposed to utilize the funds still on hand to relieve the Roumanian situation.”
Judge Rosalsky, in his communication, said:
“Let us hope the United States, champion of the oppressed everywhere, will be the first to intercede for our stricken people. We should do something to relieve the situation there. I suggest that a committee of ten be appointed to bring about relief of the suffering there and a discontinuance of the outrages.”
In compliance with a request from the American Jewish Committee, a meeting of the National Committee for the Relief of Sufferers by Russian Massacres, was held last night at Temple Emanu-el, for the purpose of taking action for the relief of the sufferers by the present anti-Jewish outrage in Roumania.