“emes” Now Giving Stories of Forcible Collectivization

The Jewish Communist paper “Emes,” which had been in the van of the fight from the first against “kulakism” in the Jewish colonies, has somewhat reversed its position, following the Communist party’s order to call a halt on forcible collectivization, and is now full of reports from Crimea and White Russia which reveal how the collectivization program was hindered by the local Communist leaders proclaiming Jewish middle class peasants “kulaks,” and confiscating their property and compelling others to join the commune.

Admitting that in the last few days a great number of Jewish colonies have abandoned the collectives, the “Emes” discloses that many collectives embracing 300 Jews were organized by force with only 50 voting for the collective form. It reveals too that the machinery, live stock and other property of such collectives had been neglected, with no one caring for them, with resulting damage.