(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The condition of the Jewish population in the Soviet Republics today was described by Dr. Joseph Rosen, head of the Agrojoint, the agency of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Soviet Russia, in an interview with the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency here.
Dr. Rosen, who returned today from his monthly tour of Crimea and the Ukraine, stated that the economic condition of the Jewish masses in the large cities in that region, when compared with the conditions of last year, have been somewhat improved. This improvement, however, cannot be considered stable.
In the small towns only certain groups of artisans have found the opportunity of tolerable existence. The rest lack employment. The class of small traders is still struggling for existence, being unable to withstand the competition of the cooperatives, the taxes and other hardships. The stores are gradually disappearing.
The desire to settle on the land is greater than ever before among the Jewish population. In some of the small towns in the districts of Odessa and Podol, one-third of the Jewish population has registered for settlement on the land.
Thirty-two thousand desiatin land in Crimea and 50,000 in Ukrainia has been allotted for the settling of Jews, Dr. Rosen stated.
Dr. Rosen, who visited the majority of the new Jewish settlements in this region, stated that he found the new settlers in the best of spirits.
The Jewish Consumptive Relief Association planned its program for the ensuing year, at their convention held in Los Angeles last week. The convention was attended by ninety delegates from fifteen auxiliaries, branch committees and cooperative organizations.
It is planned to unite the forces of the entire Pacific Coast organization in a drive to wipe out the $95,000 deficit, and to this end Los Angeles is expected to contribute $65,000.
Elections were held to fill the places of nine members of the Board of Directors whose terms expected at this time. In addition to Messrs. Abraham Horwitz, Gregory R. Evans, Samuel Tiernan, J. A. Rosenkranz, and Dr. Henry M. Silverberg who were reelected, the following new Directors were elected: Mssrs. Louis Hoffman, Harry Scherr, Harry K. Cohen and Louis Lindenbaum. Dr. Nahum Kavinsky is president of the Association.
The Los Angeles section of the National Council of Jewish women will lay the cornerstone of its future council house February 28.
Former presidents of the Council will serve as hostesses, including Mrs. Florine Wolfstein, Mrs. Edmond Lazard, Mrs. Henry Klein, Mrs. Jules Kauffman and Mrs. Henry Strauss.
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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.
