The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1923-01-26
UKRAINE JEWS
ORGANIZE ARMY
OF 100000 MEN


the days recorded in the Bible the
Jewish people have a large army cap
able of protecting the lives and in
terests of 100000 of their race liv-
ing in Russia, says a copyrighted dis
patch in The Tribune from Odessa.
1t was organized in secret a year ago
and this army, the "Jewish defense
army" has grown until it approx
mates 100000 strong. It is well
equipped with rifles, munitions and
machine guns. Branches Of it exist
in every city of the Ukrainian repub-
lie having Jewish population.
The first rumor of the great Jewish
army came from Kharkov, the CAPT
tai of Ukraine, where the information
and directing centers of the army are
located. In Kiev the secret was not
so carefully kept, and in smaller
cities, such as Zhitomir and Berdichev,
the activities of the secret Jewish
army are openly seen. Every man
from IS to so is enrolled, giving it a
total of 100000 bayonets, but the
younger members number at least
100000.
Army for f-PrOtectiOn
The organization Of the Jewish
army was caused by the continuation
of massacres in southern Russia,
which surpassed anything ever known
during the years time, and which
did not end with the soviet dictator
ship. Ukrainian Jews today are liv-
ing in the same fear Of progroms as
during the days of Denikin and Pet
Iura.
Detachments Of the Jewish army
are Systematically retaining villages
and parts Of cities where their people
were massacred and deprived of their
belongings.
In a town called Spalla, for in
stance, the Jewish volunteer army,
well-armed, engaged in guerilla war
fare with a band Of several hundred
bandits, which ended with the Jews
entering the town. Immediately or
der was established and several
thousand former residents, who es-
capped a series Of massacres two or
three years ago, began streaming
back from all parts of Russia and Ru-
mania. Today Spalla has a larger
population than it did before the war.
Glatopol also is the scene Of a big
victory for the secret army.
Has Courier System.
In cities with a majority of Jewish
population this army, although re-
framing from taking up government
al control, is actually the supreme
force In the villages they are con-
tinually on guard, because whenever
heavy taxation is placed on the peas
ants numerous peasants sons join
small bandit organizations for the
purpose of attacking the villages and
making the villagers bear their taxa
ton. In order to protect the villages
the Jewish army has built up 3 big
courier system.
The existence of the Jewish army
continues with great difficulty ov-
ing to the complicated situation in
Ukraine and the fact that the soviets
look upon it much as Great Britain
looked upon Michael Collins Irish
army On the other hand, the sovi-
cts realized that the new forces were
useful in dealing with banditry, which
had reached dangerous heights under
Machno and Petlura, and endangered
i the soviet rule in southern Russia.
Jews to Help Reconstruction.
The Jewish Relief committee, CO.
operating with The American relief
administration, signed an agreement
with the soviets for converting a part
of the feeding program into a recon
struction program in the Ukraine. The
first $1,00O,OO0 will go for rs tractors
grain, seeds, cows, repairs for farm
ing machinery, credits for farmer:
and technical schools, all aimed to re-
store Russian agriculture. JOSEPH
Rosen, Detroit, made the contract.
Jews Beaten by Students.
Bucharest-A large number O.
Jews at Jassy were beaten and three
Of them wounded by a mob Of stu
dents during a demonstration ar
ranged by Jews as a protest agains
attacks on Jews throughout the coUn
try.