Autonomy Demanded by Galician Communities

(J. T. A. Mail Service)

The representatives of eighty Jewish communities in Galicia have held a meeting in Lemberg and after considering the situation created by the recent decree of the President with regard to the regulation of the Jewish communities in Galicia, adopted the following resolution:

“The assembled members of the organization committee for the formation of a Federation of Jewish Communities in Galicia and representatives of eighty Jewish communities declare themselves opposed to the Decree of the President of the State dated October 14th, with regard to the new method of regulation of the Jewish communities, on the ground that the provisions of the Decree are in conflict with the Constitution.”

A delegation is being sent to Warsaw to place the views of the Jewish communities in the matter before the Government.

When Galicia was under the Austrian rule, the Jewish communities enjoyed a certain amount of religious-cultural autonomy. At the time when Marshal Pilsudski the present Prime Minister was President of Poland, he issued a decree assuring religious-cultural autonomy and democratic elections for the Jewish communities. In the new decree issued by President Moscicki the Jewish communities are regarded as purely religious institutions the existence is permitted of more than one Jewish community in one place and the community budget is subject to approval by the Mayor, who may order reductions or increases in the amounts included in the budget.