Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-09-16
Reuiew of the Je,Uish Year 5686
BY HARRY SCHNEIDERMAN

been aimed at President Woijciechow-
ski during visit TO Lemberg in Sep
tember, 1924. There was really no
evidence against Steiger; IN fact, n
ukrainian who bad escaped to Ger
many confessed to the authorities
there that he had thrown the bomb.
Nevertheless Steiger was in prison
for II months, and on trial for nine
weeks before he was acquitted.
This fiasco showed the attitude OF
the Government towards The Jews, an
attitude prompted by the wish to get
rid of them. This was the object of
the clandestine numerus clausus in
the colleges and universities, of the
legislation to take over as state
monopolies the production Of commo-
dities which gave many Jews liveli
hood, of the discharge Of Jews from
factories thus taken over, and of
many other oppressive measures. And
these things have been going on in
spite of the famous Polish-Jewish
agreement of June. 1926. in negotiat-
ing which, it has transpired, the jew
ish deputies listed total Of AZ mai jor
abuses which they desired removed.
The net result of those policies was
to create an economic crisis in the
country from which the Jews were
the greatest sufferers, and which af-
fected the Jewish communities of
other countries, and caused many
Polish Jews to emigratc to Palestine
while cutting off from the Palestine
movement Of the contributions Of
Polish Jewry.
The political situation was entirely
changed with the advent into power
of government chosen under the in
fucnce of Marshal Pilsudski who had
grown weary of the bungling rule Of
the various cabinets, and had marched
on Warsaw and deposed the Govern
ment. The present cabinet shows
every desire to treat the Jews and
other minorities justly and impartial
ly. At the same time, however, the
economic situation remains very bad
and is likely to remain SO for some
time to come, as it will require much
effort for the present Government to
repair the damage done by its prede-
ccssors.
In the Baltic Republics, Lithuania
and Latvia, the political condition Of
the Jews has improved also, due to
changes in Government. In Esthonia,
the Jews have never had any diff.
culties, thanks largely, we believe, to
the fact that they constitute an insig.
nifcant numerical part of the popu-
lation. In Lithuanja, the change in
Government has brought the liberal
elements into power and the Jews are
being given back the cultural and re-
ligious autonomy which they pos
sessed before the conservative cler-
ieal party came into power three
years ago.
v. RUSSIA
According to reports prepared by
the Council of Nationalities in the
wall of 1895, there then lived in the
Union of Socialist Soviet Republics
a total of $500, 900 Jews; of this num-
Der only 100000 have any steady
means of livelihood-s50,0 900 being
tanned by members of trade unions,
and 100000 living by farming. Of
the remaining 100000, about one
half f9O5,00O) follow the precarious
occupation of kustari or artisans who
do petty manufacturing in their own
homes, while the remaining 9l5,000
are traders and others without any
definite occupation. This gives us q.
clear picture Of the economic status
Of the Jews. and shows what a stu
pcndous task their brethren in Amer
lea and elsewhere have undertaken in
order TO help them turn TO agricul-
ture, for that, all experts admit, is
the only hope for the rapid re-adap-
tation of the Jews to the conditions
in the Socialist Republics.
The Soviet Government is not, in
the meantime, neglecting other means
of helping the Jews out of condition
which, it admits, is the result of the
Bolshevik revolution. 1t is trying to
help the kustari by permitting them
to hire two apprentices; the ukrsnian
Government has established special
courses for the kustari helps them to
obtain raw material. has reduced tax
alton on small retail traders, and has
opened technical schools for the jew
ish youth. At the same time. the
DENOMINATION of the republic is in
creasing the difficulties of the Jews,
as few Of them and only those who
have lived in rural sections know the
ukrainian language. The assassina-
ton in Paris of the former Ukrainian