Polish Jewry wishes no charity. All it wants is credit aid.
This was made clear here today by Abraham Gepner, the king of the Polish metal trade and vice-chairman of the Jewish Merchants Association, in an article dealing with the present position of Polish Jewry.
In this article, Mr. Gepner suggests that a body be set up to promote and finance the export to England and America of finished goods made by Jews in Poland. The export of Jewish-made goods in Poland can be greatly developed, since labor is cheap and since many products can easily be sold in the United States on a large scale.
The difference between the Polish Jews and the German Jews, Mr. Gepner believes, is that a hurricane has passed over German Jewry which has wiped out their means of existence. “To such ruination we must respond at once and with drastic, radical measures,” Mr. Gepner suggests.
Polish Jewry has not been ruined, Mr. Gepner writes. It is experiencing a severe economic crisis which is partly the result of the general crisis in the country. Relief in the form of a campaign for funds, no matter how big the result, will not relieve the situation. The Polish Jews do not need alms. They want help to enable them to continue to carry on their livelihood. Such help can be given only in the form of credit.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.