U.s., British Envoys Probe Nazi Assaults on Jews in Commerce

Under instructions from their respective Governments, the American and British diplomats here are compiling statistics relative to the ousting of Jews from commerce and the forced liquidation of their property, it became known here today.

Foreign diplomats here have no hesitation in expressing the opinion that what is happening in Germany is not liquidation but confiscation of Jewish property.

It is understood that the diplomats are submitting conclusions to their respective governments to the effect that since the anti-Jewish economic measures are also affecting the economic stability of Germany, the question arises whether under such conditions the Reich is to be trusted with foreign credits.

According to authentic reports from many cities, “advisory offices” have already been established by the Labor Front to help “Aryans” take over Jewish businesses. It is understood that these offices are sending threatening letters to Jewish business men, demanding that they arrange to transfer their property immediately to “Aryans” through the mediation of the Labor Front offices. The mediation consists of the offices fixing prices for the business owned by Jews usually ten or fifteen percent under actual value.

Through such methods, hundreds of Jewish stores and buildings have passed into “Aryan” hands in the past few weeks and the process is continuing on an increasingly large scale.

There are cases on record where Jews have been arrested several times until they were forced to sell out to “Aryans”. Thus, Aron, the Jewish owner of a large radio concern, “Nora”, was taken into custody of the Nazis three times. Finally he had no other option but to sell out.

When firms are purchased under such conditions–or, for that matter, under any conditions whatever–the “Aryan” purchasers are under strict instructions to dismiss at once all Jewish employes no matter what the length of their employment.

That such dismissals are being legally supported is seen in the decision by a labor court in Frankfurt-am-Main which dismissed the complaint of a Jewish employe who had been discharged after fifteen years of service merely because he was a Jew. The court held that no firm was responsible for the dismissal of Jews from its service.