The American Jewish world. [volume] (Minneapolis ;) 1915-current, 1920-04-09
THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD
THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF
THE JEWS IN POLAND.
Brief Summary Of Sir Stuart Samuel's,
Report.

a meeting Of the Anglo-Jewish Asso-
citation in order to make a statement
on his visit to Poland, and received
cordial welcome. He stated that the
Government honoured him with the
task of going to Poland to inquire in
:. to conditions there, and naturally, un-
til his Report was published, he could
not say anything of Importance. Never
theless, perhaps he would be per-
mitted to make a few remarks upon
the economic situation. The relations
between Jews and Poles would not
be bad il they were left to themselves.
The Polish peasant, though ignorant,
was well disposed towards the Jews,
and had recourse to them for advice
and assistance in his everyday life.
Unfortunately, the Press brought for
ward everything possible to decry
and deprecate the Jew in Poland. Be-
fore the War 80 per cent of the BUSH
ness of Poland was conducted by the.
Jews, and one could quite understand
that now there was Polish Govern
ment, there was a desire that Jews
should not have the monopoly of
Trade and Commerce In the Country.
But the Pole himself was not busi-
ness man, and that was the reason
why the Jews came so very much to
the front. Most of the Polish bust
ness houses were closed between IL
and in the day, and such large
hole in business hours must be an
obstacle to the proper conduct OF
business. Great difficulty was expert
enced in seeing a Polish business
man, and those who held high posi-
lions in the business world were Ia
mentally ignorant of first principles.
The origin of the boycott was the
Parliamentary election in Warsaw.
The candidates were mostly anti
Semitic, and it was found upon a..
scrutiny of the list7of voters that The
election practically lay in the hands :.
of the Jews. The Jews felt that in
view of the fact that they were a
minority of the population in Poland,
it was not desirable that the capital
of the state should be represented by
a Jew, and they were quite prepared !.
to support any candidate who did not
-enunciate anti-Semitic policies Prom1. =
nent among the candidates was a. Mr.. :!
Demofsky, who was characterized yby 4
a severe anti-Jewish frame of mind. il
The result was that a Socialist was Il
elected Since that time Mr.. Demof-
sky had endeavored, as he told Sir
Stuart Samuel himself, to break Jew.
ish influence and drive the Jews out
of Poland, and there was a most :
viruIent and acute persecution. large. ,
ly social and economic, participated
in by the Government itself.
The general position Of the Jews
was one of extreme poverty, despite
the stream of relief from Great
Britain and America. There were .
very few families which had not at
least one member either in America
or Great Britain. If it had not been
for the activities of the American Re-
lief Committee. assisted by the Polish
Relief War Victims Fund here, the +
death-rate from starvation and typhus
in Poland would have been much high
er.
At the present time the need of
clothing and food in Poland was
heartrending. The Relief Commit
tee made proviso that children to be
relieved with food must come to the
Soup Kitchen. But
They had not the Boots and Clothing.
to come out in the severe weather.