The Denver Jewish news., 1925-08-13

i
Committees work in Russia, who re-
turned last week for a short stay
with his family at Croton-on-the-
Hudson, made public the text of an
agreement entered into between him
and the Russian government under
the terms of which the committee has
an absolutely free hand for Jewish
colonization in the Ukraine, White
Russia, Crimea, and other parts Of
Russia. Premier Rykoff signed the
agreement on behalf of the govern
ment. Twenty thousand Jews have al
ready established themselves as farm
ers in those regions, and DR.. Rosen
shares the conviction of David A.
Brown, expressed in report the lat
ter made recently to Felix NJ. War
burg, chairman of the Joint Distribu-
tion Committee, that 100000 Russian
Jews can be transformed from trad
ers into farmers by the end of 1926,
if American Jewry will supply the
funds needed for this huge operation.
The agreement provides for the rec
ognition of the Joint Distribution
Committee, which is called "Agro.
Joint" in Russia. as a philanthropic
organization which does not pursue
commercial aims or seek profits;
therefore it is given the right to pur-
chase and work all kinds of farms and
lands, open accounts in banks, be a
shareholder in various undertakings
connected with its activity, to mort
gage, hire and make grants of its own
property, erect buildings, rent them,
open departments, agencies, offices,
workshops, storehouses and shops.
The agreement further provides
that 'the Joint Distribution Commit
tee, or rather its chief representative.
has the right to set up machinery,
with representatives, employees and
laborers in all places where he finds
it is required" Several important con-
cessions are made by the government
in this agreement with regard to the
Joint Distribution Committees EN-
ployees. Section Xxx provides that it
has all rights and liberties to select
its employees and laborers without
applying to local labor bureaus" Sec
tion XXI extends to the Joint Distri-
button Committees employees "all
rights enjoyed by government Off
cials, and Section XVI sets forth
that the government agrees to the en-
try into and exit from Russia of for
eign citizens who are members of the
Joint Distribution Committee"
The clauses in the agreement out
lining the work which the Agro-Joint
is permitted to do in Russia are as
follows:
Section TX. Providing mate
rial aid for all categories of collec-
tives, such as for example, agricul-
J tural collectives, loan and saving
banks, credit societies, transmigration
groups, and cooperative associations
in all their ramifcations as well as
for individual Jewish landworkers;
organizing Jewish transmigration
groups and settling them in their new
places; instructing Jewish landwork-
ers in all questions of organization,
management and cooperation.
Section X. The assistance is
to be: providing financial means,
creating basic capital and special cap
itals for various village farms, trans
migration groups, credit and other
associations and groupings; providing
seed and live and dead stock; building
materials, etc; carrying out various
works, as, for example, amolioration
work, construction work, and so on.
/ Section MI. Loans may be
granted to whole corporations or to
individuals at interest or free of in
terest. Interest charge is not to be in
excess of per cent annually"
The Agro-Joint is given the privi-
lege under this agreement of extend
ing its philanthropic activities to the
non-Jewish population living in the
midst of or in close proximity to the
Jewish population among whom the
Agro-Joint conducts its work. ave
have availed ourselves very freely Of
this privilege" DR.. Rosen remarked
and it has been an important factor
in creating good relations between the
Jewish farmers and their neighbors
Our tractors, our breeding stations
our veterinary service. our seed cul
ture, and our travelling schools hav,
been of great service to the neighbor
ing peasantry and they appreciate it.
Other clauses in the agreemen