97,000 Latvian Jews Hard Hit by Drive on Minorities; Ousted from Trade, Professions

The new law adopted by the Latvian Government giving it authority “to take possession of any commercial enterprise in the country should this be in the interests of the State” is causing increasing anxiety to Jewish industrialists and businessmen in view of the Government’s open determination to eliminate Jews and other national minorities from the country’s economic system and replace them by Latvian.

A number of Jewish textile manufacturers have Already been compelled to sell their enterprises to the State against their desire. Jewish-owned breweries, tanneries and chocolate factories have also been taken over by the Government. In these enterprises, the Jewish directors have first been replaced and subsequently Jewish employes have been dismissed to make way for Latvian.

Although anti-Semitism is officially prohibited in Latvia and neither the press nor individual citizens are permitted to engage in anti-Semitic propaganda, the general policy of the Government is to eliminate the Jews from all spheres of economic life, the professions and artisans. Jews are not admitted to membership in the corporative chambers of artisans and without such membership cannot secure required permits to open shops.

Jewish graduates who have qualified for the bar are not being accepted into the bar associations and consequently are not able to begin law practice. Jewish lawyers who previously obtained membership in the associations, however, are not hindered in the performance of their professional activities.

There is no “numerus clausus” for Jews in the Latvian medical schools, but, remarkably, it is almost impossible for a Jewish student to secure admission, most of them “failing” in the entrance examinations. Those qualifying as doctors find it next to impossible to earn a living since they are to all intents and purposes barred from panel practice.

Riga restaurant-owners, Jewish and Latvian, were officially notified that hence forth, leaders of restaurant orchestras must not be Jewish and, regardless of the ownership of the restaurant, it may not employ more than three Jewish musicians in its orchestra.

This official anti-Semitic program is being carried out quietly but effectively and has already rendered the economic position of the Jews of Latvia precarious.

GET CASH PAYMENT, BUT CAN’T INVEST FUNDS

The Jewish businessmen whose enterprises are taken over by the Government, it should be pointed out, receive full cash payment from the Government trusts. They cannot, however, take the money out of the country, nor can they reinvest it in other enter prises or in real estate. This is the result of another law which requires Government permission for the acquisition of property in Latvia, and it is notable that the Government, in keeping with its policy, rarely accords such permission to Jews or members of other national minorities.

The effect of this is that Jewish capitalists are forced to live on unproductive capital, while their former Jewish employes, dismissed when the Government took over the Jewish enterprises, remain jobless and penniless, dependent on charity.

The anti-Jewish program being so effectively applied in this country today is carried out cleverly under general laws and ordinances which do not violate treaties by specifically singling out the Jews and other minorities, but which, in actual administration, affect them alone. Thus, no legal ground is provided to accuse the Government of violating minorities rights, though the Government Daily rides rough-shod over the spirit, if not the letter, of its minority obligations.

Latvia’s once prosperous Jewish community of 97,000 souls in a total population of 2,000,000 is thus today being relentlessly pushed towards the brink of economic ruin, without being able to voice a single complaint or protest as the Latvian regime determinedly presses on with its program of eliminating the minorities and making Latvia a country for Latvian only.