The Denver Jewish news., 1924-07-17


alive stores Against these there Is no
balllc, because they are o phenomenon
born Of progress.
simultaneously with all this, there
has been At work in The very ranks of
the Jewish people tremendous urge
townrd Industry Jewish history drives
the jew To the ploughing share BE.
sides, the economic Status Of the artisan
has risen In proportion TO the fall of
the smnll'tradcsmau This sweeping
process means the beginning ~ a new
period In the life of the Jews In Eu-
rope. and II Is for the ORT to ease the
difficulties involved. The ORT was not
born of philnnthrDpic caprice that
aimed for an almost revolutionary III
noyntion, but rather of historical ncces-
slty.
Its work Is divided into three parts.
First there is the supplying Of imple-
moniS and machinery to those whose
belongings Were destroyed during the
war If fifteen thousand men are pro-
vidcd with machinery. II means that
fifteen thousand families have a depend
able source Of income Secondly, there
is the provision for those who turn to
the soil. We have no statistics AS yet
Of the number af Jews engaged in
agriculture In Central and Eastern Eu-
rope. But we do know that last year,
because of the ORT some 10000 acres
OF land We're sowed by Russian Jews,
and the harvest was one not only of
bread but of hopes for new life. In
Lithuanin the percentage OF Jews work
Ing on the land has jumped from > TO
II in the section around Grodno II 900
OUT of $4,000 earn their living by farm
ing In Russia there are IS Jewish
agricultural colonies, and In spite of
the fact that third Of the colonists
were killed during the war, there are
now 1870 more inhabitants than there
were ten years ago. About G,SOO fam
lilies have established new colonies.
Allenikofr. one Of the greatest living
authorities. has said that ten years of
normal effort could not have accom-
plished what was done by natural
events.
In Bessarabia farming has been add
ed to vineyard and tobacco culture.
There are not enough implements for
individual provision. so the ORr has
established loan ccnters. When | took
nine hours trip from Bella to Alex
andrina, those with me pointed out the
fresh green fields and told me they
We're owned by Jews In Ukraine del.
cgntions are sent out To find unculti'
vated spots and they guide whole,
sale exodus of Jewish families who &C
30 establish new colonies
The third branch of the work con
ists of the trade schools. There are
about G.000 students now, hut that is
only one-tenth Of the number there
should be. 4 few years ago, when par
ents wanted to threaten their children
they would say: Wi make nm artisan
out of you" Now that is a promise
So much has the attitude toward ar.
tisanship changed.
And the ORT undertakes all this
work. not because 1t has millions at its
! 4, t., I.
is not n relief organization. II does
not arouse pity. 1t comes instead with
an appeal TO the consciousness of the
Jewish race, and asks participation in
the creation Of n healthy atmosphere
for Jewish life.
Immediately after the war we We're
helped by philanthropy. The relief or
gnnizatiCns did not refuse our appeal
for funds. because they saw the logic
in what we We're doing. II was better
to provide means for self-support than
ot deal ont food and drink. But now
the necessity for relief has passed. The
necessity for reconstruction has not.
During the year 1924 we did not receive
any help from the Joint Distribution
committee. And daily we are receiv-
Ing news Of fields unSowed, school clos
ed, teachers discharged, personnel de
creased.
You see how great the danger is. Tn
til now we have had only to distribute
funds Now we must also gather them.
We are not raising n bloody cry of
pcgroms. We say only: Half the
Jewish world needs TO he rebuilt. Par
ticipate!"
The American ORT should become
part of the ORT association just as the
English or French ORT. We do not
want to be composed of organizations,