The Denver Jewish news., 1925-02-26

iAA~AA Wv tA'AA iil WV Hhfll' N'll''l~s d'N
ish narcntS are faced by the alternative
either Of establishing their own schools
ur losing their children, in the moral
sense of the term.
In all tho countries of Europe the
process of postwar economic readJust.
nicnt which is now in progress has
found the Jews nS its principal vie
tins. quite apart from any anti Semi
tie spirit or policy, the hard facts of
economic changes are dcpriving mil.
lions Of Jews Of their former means
Of subsistence. This is true even in
country like Czecho- -SloyaRia, whose
leaders and statesmen are men OF the
most liberal type. The self-assertion of
The Czcchs is forcing the national min.
critics Of the country into n position
uf economic instability resulting in the
movement Of the Jews from the small
population ccntcrS into the larger cen
tcrS, the formation of large chettos and
all the attendant phenomena.
Although 4 did not visit Poland on
my last tour through Europe. con
fcrrcd with men whose knowledge Of
the country and position in the affairs
OF the Jewish community make them
authoritative witnesses. Poland. owing
10 her inability to compete industrail-
ly in The West with Germany. owing
further to her lass of the Eastern
market in Russia and beyond. il com
PEELED TO lay first emphasis on agricul-
crs and industrialists of Poland, nre
naturally the first to suffer. In addi-
tion since it is impossible to impose
heavy taxes on the peasant, the heav-
lest brunt of the taxation policy falls
on the cities. which means on the Jews.
The result is that while the Jews are
is in the possession of the Poles, from
establishing themselves on the soil
whatever source Of livelihood are orcn
to them in the city are practically
being taxed away by the Government.
am combining myself to the economic
aspects of the situation, but one must
bear in mind that it reflects itself also
on every other asncct Of the life of the
3 OGO. 600 Jews of Poland
"A similar process of economic up
roofing is visibly in progress in other
lands, ROumania, Hungary and Rus
sia. In the latter country il is not so
visible We are not permitted to see
it in operation hut we know from the
numerous reports which reach us that
the millions of Jews in Russia find
the economic ground literally slipping
from under their feet. Having been
the merchants and small artisans un-
der the present regime. II is not an
cxagGeration to say that from the
Visual TO The Trails, 0ON,OOO of our
people find themselves economically up
rooted and dislocatcd and facing a
blind alley. Never before in the check
cred history of our people have we been
faced with a problem of such magni-
tude and seriousness
Il come now to Palestine and from
what | have said it becomes clear why
the pressure upon the gates of Pat
estine is so tremendous. 1t is true, of
course. that thousands are coming into
the new Land of Promise for Zionist
or idcaliStic reasons, but economic
pressure is driving many thousands in
to the country and many more thou
sands whom Palestine cannot now ah'
Sorb are being compelled to turn their
faces toward the Land of Israel. 1t is
undoubtedly true that even We're the
gates of Palestine thrown open as wide
as they possibly could he the jam
would he still greater than these gates
could accommodate.
/ In the past eight or ten months
| they havc been coming in at the rate
of about 1000 per month. That mum
her is greater than we We're prepared
for Nevertheless 1t has been absorbed
into the life Of the country with sur
urising completeness The test of such
absorption Is, of course, the employ
ment situation and the fact is that II
Palestine today there is no unemploy
mcnt Nevertheless the pressure whicl
Il is impossible altogether to control
creates numerous problems. 1t creates
among others, the problem of bringing
about balance between the urban nnt
rural settlements. At present the cit!
of Tel-Aviv Is absorbing too large I
humber of the newcomers. What W.
need is to create rural communit,
as the foundation of this urban growth
Otherwise the same unhealthy pre-
pondcrancc of city settlement as ex
lists in Eastern Europe will repeat it