The Jewish monitor. (Fort Worth-Dallas, Tex.) 191?-1921, 1919-12-12
WEEKLY LETTER
FROM NEW YORK

national Jewish Press Bureau, Inc.)
Two OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Farmers in
America-Jewish Farmers and the
Future-UniOn of Orthodox Jewish
COngregatiOns-Tragic Death of
Jewish Editor.
Two Jewish conventions were held
simultaneously in New York during
the past week-the Eleventh Annual
Convention of the Federation of Jew
ish Farmers and the Ninth Annual
Convention Of the Union of Orthodox
Jewish Congregations of America.
A general air of depression seemed
to be the keynote of the farmers con-
vention, and this pessimistic attitude
was to be seen in the faces of all the
delegates during the two days thru
which the convention lasted. The few
score of delegates who were present
felt that they did not have the "peo-
ple' back of them, on whose strength
they could rely to carry thru the reso-
lutions which they would adopt. That
the Jewish farmers do not understand
or appreciate the power that lies in
unity was evident-the farmers who
have enjoyed prosperous year have
entirely severed their connection with
the federation and take no interest in
it. Those who remain are the poor
farmers, who need the advisory or the
practical aid of the Federation. And
it is just this that the Federation is
unable to do, simply because it has
not the means, which only the wealthy
Jewish farmers are able to supply.
This fact occasioned heated debate
and acrimony at the convention itself.
Last year the Federation broke off
connections with the Jewish Agricul-
tural Aid Society (Which i, supported
with Baron de Hirsch funds) in the
hope that the Jewish farmers would
be capable of carrying the Federation
on their own shoulders without the
help and the incident dictatorship of
the wealthy god-fathers. Their hope,
however, was not realized.
The farmers did not support the
Federation, and not all of them even
paid their dues. Instead of coming
with plans and help for the Fedora
ton, they brought complaints and
criticisms because the Federation had
broken off with the Agricultural Aid
Society. An attempt to bring about
a renewal of the understanding be-
tween the two organizations, has for
the present at least met with no sue
cess. The convention closed with no
better outlook than when it opened.
During the convention. however.
two thinos became annarent which
have an imnortant significance: First.
that the Jewish farmers have had a
profitable wear, and that they have
received their full share of the gen.
eral prosperity which prevailed in the
country; but what is more important
still, agriculture does not appeal to
the younger Jewish generation. and
every farmer has before him the seri-
ouS problem: what is to be done with
his farm when he himself is no long
er able to conduct it? The children of
the Jewish farmers do not show any
inclination to remain on the farms
they are drawn toward the large cities.
Unwillingly we are brought face to
face with the question: Are we really
people Of merchants and retailers,
and is it fact tina tive cannot adopt
ourselves to tilling the soil? Or is
this merely passing phase, and will
the children who are so strongly
drawn toward "the city" become more
sensible and return to the farm? This
is burning question which deserves
much more serious consideration. and
IL should he taken I'm nv the Fedora
tion in conjunction with the Jewish
Agricultural Aid Society.