Ica Reports on Progress of Jewish Colonization Work in Russia

Aid for Emigrants Important Feature in Organization’s Work; Describes Steps Leading Toward Establishment of Hicem (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The Jewish colonization work in Russia will stand out forever as an important fact in Jewish history, declared Franz Phillipson, president of the Board of Managers of the Jewish Colonization Association, in his report to the general assembly of the Association made public here.

“In Russia, where, in the field of credit, our activity remains autonomous and independent of the other organizations, we achieved great progress in 1926,” Mr. Phillipson said. “Our pre-war figures are not as yet attained, undoubtedly, but we are getting nearer to them every year. Of the 305 savings banks existing in Russia last year, the 135 to which we afforded our assistance and cooperation already had 73,040 members (20,000 more than the preceding year) and served about 365,000 persons. In 1912 the 341 establishments that we were aiding had 206,071 members and were able to serve a million persons. In these totals there were included the savings banks of Poland, Bessarabia, Esthonia, etc. Within the confines of Russia of today they were only to the extent of 186 in number. The diminution is therefore less than it might be thought to be.

“Our agricultural work is still being extended in Poland, in Roumania and in Russia. We have taken upon ourselves the task of raising up again, in these countries, the former Jewish agricultural centers, which went through heavy trials and tribulations in the war and which would not have been able to re-establish themselves without our aid. We have been successful, with relatively small expenses, in saving thousands of families for a long time attached to the soil, and in assuring them of their well-being.

“However, it is precisely in Russia where we have inaugurated an entirely new policy of colonization, while at the same time continuing our support of the former groupings. The numberless difficulties that obstruct the path of the Jew in this country, where trade, authorized with reluctance, hardly offers any outlets, have naturally pushed towards the country proper a considerable number of Jews seeking a means of livelihood and desirous of having their share in the distribution of lands made by the authorities. The Soviet Government, through an institution created especially for this purpose, the Comzet, directs this work of new colonization and renders it very valuable aid. Groups of Jewish farmers have been formed in 1923-1924, coming to add themselves to the 20,000 Jewish families who already were cultivating the soil prior to the war.

“The new colonization has therefore commenced and, since last year, our Association participates therein. We have undertaken to install, in 1926, for our own part, 300 families, a figure subsequently brought up to 900, on 15,000 hectares, more or less, furnished by the Government.

“This colonization, which will stand out forever in Jewish history, is being continued actively. The first estimates soon appeared insufficient. Since last year we have felt it advisable, in behalf of our Russian co-religionists, to accelerate and extend our action. Our program calls for the installation or settlement of approximately 3,300. These new settlements abut upon the former colonies and with the groups created by the Agrojoint, they will form vast areas occupied by a largesized Jewish agricultural population.

“There remains for me to say a few words about our emigration service brought to a successful conclusion last year and the success of which, beyond question has prepared the way for the creation of the Hicem. I wish to speak to you of the evacuation of the refugees concentrated in the ports or in the countries of Eastern Europe. One is aware of the circumstances under which more than 8,000 Jewish emigrants found themselves placed some three years ago in Poland and in Roumania: being urable to leave for the countries over seas and being threatened with expulsion by the countries in which they had been packed, the efforts of our Association, associated with the Emergency Committee created, under the name of “United Evacuation Committee,” an organization having at its command the support of the bureaus of Jewish immigration of the whole world.

“On October 1st of this year this Committee, its special task having been performed, was dissolved. Its very success, which permitted the appreciation of the good deeds of a methodical organization and of the Union of Jewish societies, showed the route to be followed.

“Negotiations were begun forthwith. They have consummated in the realization of an agreement between our Association, the Hias and the Emigdirect, an agreement whereby these three organizations have been fused, for their activity in the matter of emigration and immigration, into a single society, the Hicem, which hereafter will constitute if I may so express myself, the “trust” of Jewish emigration and immigration of the two worlds. We shall have no reason to lament this fact, in the future, since the parallelism of the Jewish associations have the noble purpose of coming to the aid of emigrants in their country of departure, during their long and difficult voyage and finally, in the countries where they wish to settle. Practically, all the local committees of emigration and immigration, both in Europe and in the New World, have adhered to this new institution, so that it is not an exaggeration to say that the latter will be able to check back and control all the Jewish emigration and see that it is given beneficient assistance from the institution in all respects.

“We congratulate ourselves upon this union, feeling certain that we are in a time, in view of the fertle results that will be obtained by Jewish emigration therefrom, where more than ever it is necessary that the Jewish organizations should march hand in hand for the conquest of greater liberty and well-being for their unfortunate coreligionists.

“In Poland in a general way we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon the results obtained last year; the improvement in the economic situation has contributed towards assuring the regular running of the schools that we are maintaining, with the increase in the resources of the colonies protected by the work and with the operations of the loan banks facilitated finally.

“It is, as you are aware, the Joint Ica Foundation, created three years ago, that is handling in the different countries of Central Europe and Eastern Europe the work of credit of our Association and of the Joint Distribution Committee. In Austria, in Esthonia, in Latvia, in Lithuania in Czecho-Slovakia, as in Poland and in old and new Roumania, in Symrna, in Andropolis, this effective collaboration has permitted of a powerful action that is developing unceasingly,” Mr. Phillipson concluded.

Cleveland Committee Statement

Statement by the Committee of 100 re Cleveland Jewish Center Case

The Committee of 100 chosen by the Orthodox element to represent them in the Cleveland Jewish Center controversy desire to state that writers who print interviews obtained from defendants only and who convey conclusions to the public from such interviews are unfair.

Many such statements are one sided and many are untrue.

It being impossible for our Committee to reply separately to so many incorrect statements in various publications, our Committee will be glad to give interviews to writers who wish to be fair to both sides.

A. A. Katz for the Committee of 100 105S E. 99th St. Cleveland, Ohio.