The American Jewish Joint Agricultural Corporation (Agrojoint), which has invested $10,000,000 in Jewish projects in soviet Russia in its 13 years’ existence, will be liquidated by the end of 1938, Dr. Joseph Rosen, its director, said last night on his arrival in New York for a visit of about a month.
Agrojoint has been winding up its affairs for some time, Dr. Rosen said in an interview aboard the S.S. Washington, because the Soviet Government has taken over most of its activities.
Of the $10,000,000 invested in colonies, workshops, apparatus and equipment since the Agrojoint was formed, about $5,500,000 will have been repaid by the end of this year, representing funds invested since 1928 under an agreement whereby the Soviet Government guaranteed repayment in dollars. The $4,500,000 invested in the four preceding years has been recovered in rubles and re-invested in the Jewish colonies. There are now 242 Agrojoint colonies in the Crimea and the Ukraine.
Dr. Rosen revealed that an experiment had been under consideration to bring Polish Jews into Soviet Russia, but it was given up because of international conditions and the U.S.S.R.’s antipathy to foreigners.
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