A sweeping agricultural reform bill, one of whose effects may be to eliminate Jews entirely as landholders, was approved today by the Chamber of Deputies.
The measure provides for distribution of 1,500,000 acres among Hungary’s landless farm workers. In keeping with the nation’s drastic anti-Jewish law, under which Jews are restricted to six percent participation in the economic and cultural life of the country, the bill strikes hardest at the Jews.
Where non-Jews are affected, the distribution will be limited to property owners with holdings of more than 300 acres. The bill sets no such limit, however, as regards Jews.
The measure will entail the gradual diversion of from 20 to 25 per cent of all Hungarian farmland and is expected to result in the establishment of some 200,000 small landholders. There are an estimated 900,000 landless agricultural workers in Hungary.
Parliament will have the task of drafting detailed plans for execution of the measure. In principle, the distribution will apply to land-holding companies before it is extended to private estates.
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