A commission for the purpose of investigating the economic situation of the Jewish population in the Union of Soviet Republics was decided upon at a governmental conference held last Monday to consider the possibilities for settling Jews on the land in Russia.
Representatives of the various central governmental departments were present. The head of the Central Department of Statistics submitted data on the agricultural movement among Jews before and since the revolution. The representative of the Joint Distribution Committee made a complete report of the present condition of the Jewish colonies in Soviet Russia. Members of the Communist Central Executive Committee and a delegate of the People’s Commissar for Agriculture reported on the steps taken by the government with regard to organization of the Jewish Back to Land movement and the formation of national soviets in such localities where the Jewish Minority is in the majority. Particular emphasis was placed on the agreement recently concluded between the Soviet Government and the Joint Distribution Committee.
In referring the matter to the especially created investigating-commission, the conference recommended it to take as a basis for investigation the figures obtained through last year’s census with regard to the number, profession and age of the Jewish population in Ukrainia and White Russia.
It is expected that the commission will complete its investigation before the beginning of the next agricultural season.
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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.