Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-07-22
SOVIET PLANS FOR
JEWS EXPLAINED
kalenin Gives Reasons for Pro.
motion OF Jewish Land
Settlement

oCNSsNsssVHt
New York-(J. T. A)-Fourteen
reasons for the Inauguration on the
part OF the Soviet government OF the
work Of settling the Jews In Russia on
the land were given by Michael Kalen-
In, president Of the Union OF Soviet
Repdblics, In statement quoted by
Walter Duranty. the Moscow cor
respondent N the New York "Times."
In Mr.. Duranty's despatch appearing
in the Times Of yesterday, we read :
''The settlement OF the Jewish pop
ulation on the land In Crimea has caus-
cd grumbling among the peasants local
ly, and n young Communist named
ovchinnimofY has written a letter to the
president Of the Soviet Union. Michael
Kalenin, asking how he shall answer
such complaints.
M. Ovchinnikon says the peasants
declare:
Ten thousand Of our sons and broth
ers died to win the Crimca from
wrangel. but II we want land We are
forced to go to Siberia because 1t is
being given to the Jews"
Mr. kslenin replies In n four col
umn article in the Isvesia.
''He declares the complaints are due
to the general impression that the
Crimea Is land Of milk and honey
J and eternal blue sky, etc, while the
100000 dessiatines Ca dessiatine is
equal to 2.702 acres) Of vacant land
in the Crimea, of which the Jews re-
ceived only 10000 deslatines-a less
amount than the former property of the
rich Jewish landlord. Baron Gunsberg
which was .confscated by the Soviet
and distributed among the Russian
peasants.
M. Kalenin puts emphasis on the
following points:
1. "Anti-Semitism is an evil OF
Csarist times deliberately fostered by
the Imperial Government for political
reasons.
.. The position OF the Jews in those
days was so iutolerablc that with few
exceptions they were practically with
out rights.
| =. This is contrary to the spirit
and practice of the Soviet Government.
which gives equal rights and autonomy
to all nationalities In Russia.
4. Though their numbers justify
an autonomous stntc for the Jews. like
other nntionallties, this is now impos-
sible because they live in different
areas.
>. Therefore the committee formed
in their case was only to supplement
this lack of autonomy by helping them
to settle on the land.
| @. '"The Jewish population was
never allowed to work the land before
The revolution, for then it was almost
wholly composed Of artisans or small
traders.
| Z. ut occupies areas that suffered
particularly from imperial and civil
wars and fell prey to the most hideous
pogroms during that period. Having no
land. the Jews suffered worse than the
| Russians during the hungry years"
s. "The spread of cooperative and
| state business tends to take away the
livelihood of the artisans and small
traders
.. at is therefore necessary to set
| have n right no less than the other peo-
pies of Russia.
10. although the Jews did good
service in the Communist cause, be-
cause the larger proportion of them
were driven into the revolution by the
intolerable Czarlst oppression. it IS un-
true-for the reasons given above-that
the Soviet Government is 'favoring
| them by granting Crimean land.
IL. "The factories, buildings, money.
etc, of rich Jews were confscated by
the revolution no less than such prop
crty of the rest of the bourgeois.
| 10. Jewish Communists living
among the Jewish population feel
strongly that their people should be
settled on the land in Russia rather
than become the tools for capitalist
| exploitation in Palestine.
13 The Soviet Government shares
this view
II. The reason why the Jews settled
in South Russia rather than in Siberia,
which is now being actively colonized
by Russians is that they were used TO
a warmer climate and were untitled for
the rigors Of the Siberian cold"
Religion is the light OF the world
Tnlmud.