A warning against “the dangerous illusions which might arise among the Jewish population in the countries of emigration owing to misleading reports about the possibilities of immigration and colonization in Ecuador” has been issued by the HIAS-ICA Emigration Association (HICEM).
The statement avers that “possibilities in Ecuador are practically nil,” giving the following reasons for its contention:
(1) Ecuador as a whole is an extremely poor country.
(2) The natives in the towns and on the countryside content themselves with an extremely modest wage, and even so find it difficult to secure employment.
(3) The country is quite incapable of absorbing a large number of artisans, and immigrants without any trade have no chance of earning a living there.
(4) There are no openings whatever for intellectuals and for members of the free professions.
(5) The general political instability in the country does not promise any success in colonization schemes, the carrying out of which would entail considerable delay.
(6) The territories which the Government has agreed to code are of very inferior quality, far from roads or rivers. There is a general lack of good roads in the country and the transport of agricultural products is made by mules.
(7) The regions where settlements have been proposed are situated at an altitude and tropical climate to which Europeans can adapt themselves only with great difficulty.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
