Between the Lines

The question of the Jews in Danzig will come up this week for discussion before the Council of the League of Nations, which opened its session in Geneva yesterday.

The petition by the Danzig Jews which the Council will take up is one of seven submitted by various groups of the Free city to the League of Nations, demanding a curb on Nazi activities there. The Jewish petition, however, will no doubt attract more attention than the others since the anti-Jewish propaganda now being conducted by the Nazi administration in Danzig is a direct violation of the provisions set by the League for the administration of the Free City.

JEWISH SUFFERINGS GROWN

The 8,000 Jews of Danzig have long been suffering from the Nazi propaganda in the Free City and from the anti-Jewish regulations. Their suffering has, however, become more intense during the last few weeks, following the devaluation of the Danzig currency.

Although the devaluation was carried out by the Danzig Senate, which is controlled entirely by the Nazis, Nazi agitators and the Nazi press started a campaign that the Jews are the ones to be blamed. The campaign, encouraged by the Nazi administration of the Free City, is leading many to believe that the Jews are indeed responsible for the deflation from which they are suffering. Since most of those affected are of the middle class, whose total deposits in the Danzig banks are estimated at 70,000,000 gulden, the incitement against the Jews is finding fertile ground even among those who are not Nazis.

TRUTH ABOUT INFLATION

The truth of the matter is that the Danzig Senate before devaluating the currency of the Free City, tipped off the Nazi institutions in time to permit them to exchange their capital. It is also a fact that the move of the Danzig Senate to devaluate the currency was aimed to pauperize that part of the population which voted against the Nazis in the parliamentary elections of April 7.

Notwithstanding this fact, the leaders of the Nazis in Danzig have seen in the devaluation of the currency a good excuse for strengthening their anti-Jewish Propaganda by blaming the Jews for it. The anti-Jewish propaganda in Danzig has thus, after the inflation, assumed an unprecedented, dangerous character.

THE JEWISH PETITION

The petition which the Jews of Danzig has submitted to the Council of the League of Nations is a result of this situation. A similar petition was submitted to the League by the Catholic population of Danzig, which is also persecuted by the Nazis though to a lesser degree than the Jews.

Among the petitions which the League Council will take up at its present session, is also one submitted by Sean Lester, the League’s High Commissioner of Danzig. Mr. Lester has been openly defied by the Nazi administration in Danzig. He has therefore requested that the League once and for all define his powers in Danzig.