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ROUMANIA

Though Roumania is not yet a belligerent, some of the Jews of that country have been vitally affected by the war. In July of 1915, the Ministry of the Interior issued a general order expelling the Jews of the towns near the Austro-Hungarian frontier into the interior. Though this order was later alleged to have been designed to prevent the operations of Jewish grain speculators from Bukowina, many Jews who had resided in the border towns for generations were summarily expelled.

This action of the Government was bitterly criticized by the liberal press and in a memorial addressed to the King by the League of Native-born Jews, and the order was finally revoked.

Whether the present Balkan situation may or may not result in the entrance of Roumania among the belligerent nations there is no doubt that upon the termination of hostilities the question of Roumania’s treatment of the Jews should be reopened.

PALESTINE

At the outbreak of the war Palestine contained, according to reliable estimates, about 100,000 Jews, some of whom were economically independent agriculturists, but the great majority of whom were aged pilgrims dependent upon their relatives and the good-will offerings of their pious co-religionists in Europe. The war cut them off completely both from the markets of Europe and from their relatives and friends; nearly the entire Jewish population was thus left destitute. Their position was further aggravated by the severity with which Turkey, upon her entrance into the war as an ally of the Central Powers, treated the nationals of hostile countries. About 8,000 Jews who declined to become Turkish subjects were either expelled or departed voluntarily.