Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

[The purpose of the Digest is informative: Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.–Editor.]

A review of the results of the first two years of Jewish land settlement in Russia is presented by A. Merezhin, head of the Yevsektzia, Jewish section of the Communist party and of the Gezerd, Society for Jewish land settlement in Russia, in an article appearing in the “Freiheit,” (Sept. 19), Jewish Communist daily of New York. Mr. Merezhin takes occasion to draw a comparison between the reconstruction work in Palestine and the Jewish colonization work in Russia, claiming that the efforts in Palestine have been a failure while those in Russia were highly successful.

Enumerating the practical achievements, area of land alloted for Jewish colonization, etc., Mr. Merezhin dwells on the effect produced in other countries by the work of the Communist agencies in Russia which are promoting the Jewish colonization.

“The second year has also been a year of increased influence on the outside world,” he declares. “During the two years since the existence of the Comzet, (Soviet government agency for Jewish colonization) we did not send any delegations or delegates abroad, despite the fact that the Zionists are constantly sending delegates everywhere: Weizmann, Sokolow, Bialik, Poale Zion, Histadruth, etc. On the other hand, however, the Jewish land settlement work has become a force of attraction for all practical organizations and practical social workers.

“We had during the second year delegations and delegates from the Joint Distribution Committee, Ica., Icor, Alliance Israelite and the Ort. There were representatives from workingmen’s organizations, bourgeois societies from America, France, Germany, etc. We gave them all every possible opportunity to travel about free and undisturbed wherever and whenever they desired, –and we have heard nothing but approvals, affirmative reports and opinions, even from the Zionist Brainin, who came here direct from Palestine.”

THE BROOKLYN COLLEGE CENTER

The forthcoming opening of the Brooklyn College Center, the first college in that borough, largely the result of the efforts of President Jonas of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, is commented on by the New York “World” of Sunday, which observes:

“The new educational plant is under the able management of the Hunter College and College of the City of New York trustees, with three members added as especially representing Brooklyn –President Jonas of the Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Williard H. Good and Dr. Arthur M. Howe, editor of the Eagle.

“Brooklyn is now by a liberal margin the most populous borough. Its population ranks it in a class with such famous university towns as Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Chicago, Philadelphia. It will not forever be content to have thousands of its young people buffeted in the subways for twelve or fifteen miles to reach an open college door. Here is one great field of civic endeavor where ‘borough autonomy’ is decidedly in order.”