Echo of Jewish Bakers’ Strike in Poland: Heavy Sentences for Jewish Bakers Charged with Terrorist Ac

During the dispute which took place last year between Jewish bakehouse workers and the Jewish master-bakers in Warsaw, several Jewish bakeries were attacked and considerable damage was done in several cases. Many arrests were made, and summonses were issued against about 100 bakery workers.

Only two, David Guterman, the Chairman of the Jewish Bakers’ Union, who was accused of Communist activity, and the Secretary of the Union, Blumkin, were kept in custody. The rest were released on bail pending the trial.

The first batch of prisoners were put on trial this week, and to-day the court handed down its verdict. One has been sent to prison for five years, one for 2½ years, seven for 1½ years, two for one year, and one for six months. Two have been acquitted.

David Guterman, who was said to be a member of the Communist Party, denied the charge. He admitted, however, that in 1929 he had gone to Soviet Russia as a delegate of the Trade Union Section of the Communist Party, but said that it was solely to collect information concerning the life of the workers in Russia. He also denied that he had been involved in acts of terrorism during the bakers’ strike between 1928/30. He insisted that he had taken no part in terrorist activities, but on the contrary, had, as chairman of the Jewish Bakers’ Union, tried to prevent trouble. The fault, he said, lay with the master-bakers, especially with Moses Wilner, the Chairman of the Jewish Baker Employers’ Association, who had broken the collective agreement made with the trade union and had induced other master bakers to break their agreements.

Blumkin, the Secretary of the Union, argued that he was only a paid official.

Many witnesses were called, including the leaders of the Jewish Master Bakers’ Association, and many police agents.