Biro-bidjan One of First Regions in Russia to Complete Winter Ploughing

The Jewish autonomous region of Biro Bidjan has completed its winter ploughing, the first section in the entire Chabarowsk region to do so, it was announced here today.

In connection with this announcement, the Jewish authorities here released an account of the contributions which youth in this Jewish republic have made to the war effort. A group of school children planted 1,000 tobacco plants, cultivated the plants, assorted the leaves when they were full grown, and packed them into more than 1,000 packages which have been sent to Red Army men at the front. Several acres of potatoes were planted, which, when harvested, were sent to the troops. A large quantity of medicinal plants, needed by the medical services, were picked and dried.

Groups of school children also gave concerts and made collections among the people to raise funds to send to aid children who had suffered at the hands of the Germans and to provide recreational facilities for Red Army men convalescing in the hospitals. Since the beginning of the present school year the young Jewish students have collected several tons of scrap iron and non-ferrous metals, which are needed by the Soviet steel mills.

The adults in Biro-Bidjan have been equally active in spurring production for the war, it was disclosed, at a meeting this week of the metallurgists’ artel here. Various speakers discussed the production during the month of September and mentioned several Jewish workers who had distinguished themselves in the factories. Among those particularly praised by M. Gankin, chairman of the artel, was G. Smikun, manager of the production shop, who spent eighteen consecutive days in his shop, so as to get out an important order for the army.