Group in Polish Parliament Seeks Bill to Class Jews As “temporary Citizens”

An anti-Semitic faction in Parliament launched a move today for introduction of a bill that would class Jews as “temporary citizens” and deprive them of political and other rights. The move was initiated by deputy Storch, a member of the group of 12 anti-Semitic legislators headed by Deputy Dudzynski. Deputy Storch is circulating a petition, requiring 15 signatures, for introduction of the bill.

Meanwhile, deputy Dudzynski’s bill for complete prohibition of kosher slaughtering, now under partial proscription, was sent to committee after the first reading. The action was taken without debate. The budget commission last night adopted, over objections of Jewish deputy Emil Sommerstein, an extraordinary budget to enlarge Poland’s consular personnel and increase salaries to expedite denaturalization of Polish Jews residing abroad.

Deputy Storch’s bill provides three categories of ” temporary citizens.” These would be: I) All those who on Dec. 1, 1938, belonged to the Jewish faith; 2) All those converted after Nov. 11, 1918; 3) Naturalized persons who, one year before their naturalization or during the period they were being naturalized, belonged to the Jewish faith. Participants in the war of independence, their wives and children would be exempted from the projected law, but the number of such exemptions would be limited to not more than 50,000 throughout Poland.

The “temporary citizens” would not be permitted to participate in parliamentary or municipal elections; would be barred from state and municipal service; could not be teachers except in Jewish schools; would not be admitted to military service. They would also be barred from acting as contractors for state or municipal institutions, running licensed enterprises, publishing, financing or collaborating in publication of polish-language newspapers, and having an interest in advertising agencies.