CABINET RESIGNS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 159, 1 April 1938, Page 11

CABINET RESIGNS

New Government Formed In Rumania MISSION ACHIEVED All Political Parties Dissolved By Telegraph.— Press Assn.—Copyright. Bucharest, March 30. Cabinet resigned, tiie retiring Ministers offering tiie King I heir services in a new Government, and a new Cabinet was formed by Monsignor Miron Cristea, with himself again Premier. Dr. Petrescu Comnen, iate Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, becomes Foreign Minister. Most of the former Minsters have been reinstated. It is expected that the policy will be unchanged. The following official announcement was made when the former Cabinet resigned : “Cabinet has achieved its mission after restoring order throughout the country, and there is no longer need for a\ Government of national concentration.”

The new Cabinet, at a meeting .under the presidency of King Carol, issued decrees dissolving all political parties in accordance with the new Constitution instituted under the late Cabinet which introduced the corporative system. Another decree establishes a Royal Advisory Council consisting of former Premiers and dignatories of the Church, the court, and the army. _ It is explained that the late Cabinet was a stop-gap, and that it was found cumbersome because it included six former Premiers as Ministers without portfolio whose chief mission was to restore confidence.

Following the failure of Dr. Manin, leader of the National Peasant Party, to form a Cabinet early in February, a new Cabinet —a coalition Of the Centre with a slight tendency to the Right, including six Liberals, three Rumanian Front members, two National Democrats, and one National Peasant Party member —was formed under Monsignor Miron Cristea, Patriarch of Rumania and head of the .Orthodox Church. King" Carol, in a proclamation to the people, said: “I have formed a Government of men who are conscious of their responsibility. They will proceed to eliminate politics fijom the country’s administration by modifying the Constitution and adapting it to the country’s needs. The new measures will correspond with the mentality of all those loving their country. They will be heroic ones.” A Cabinet council presided over by the King decided on a ten-point programme, including the appointment of committees, a change in the Constitution and local administration, the prohibition of State and municipal officials participating in politics, the suspension of the autojiomy of universities, the suppression of harmful publications, accompanied by investigation of the origin of newspaper funds, the prohibition of near relatives of Cabinet Ministers holding Government posts, and the maintenance of strict control in the use of Government motor-cars.

Tiie majority of the changes were aimed at ending the activities of the Fascist Iron Guards. Another derision permitted the Prime Minister, as Patriarch of the Greek Church, to absolve the population from oaths of allegiance given to political parties. Priests blessing such oaths were to be punished. The move was designed to free peasants, constituting 80 per cent, of the population, from promises given to political leaders to vote for certain parties in elections. Subsequently a dictatorial Constitution, bearing only King Carol’s signature, was announced. Parliament was reorganised on a co-operative basis. Women received the vote. The voting age was raised from 21 to 30 years. Legislative power was vested in the King, acting through Parliament. Equal rights were assured all minorities. Trial by jury was abolished. The Constitution was accepted at a plebiscite by an overwhelming majority.