J.D.C. Spends $1,000,000 on Relief for Jews Laid Low by Hitler Rise

The impoverished condition of Jews throughout Germany and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, aggravated by a perpendicular rise in the anti-Semitism of those sections, is reflected in the annual report of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, which shows an expenditure of $1,506,000 during 1933 and the early months of 1934.

This is the largest sum expended or allotted for relief work by the committee since 1929, when the total distributed was more than $1,645,000. It compares with an expenditure of approximately $340,815 for 1932.

Largely responsible for the sharp increase, according to the report submitted by Joseph C. Hyman, secretary, and released yesterday, was the situation in Germany precipitated by the accession to power of the Nazi Party.

As a result of the acute anti-Semitic problem created by the Hitler forces and giving rise to equally serious refugee problems in neighboring countries, the committee found it necessary to expend or allot for this purpose approximately $1,000,000 of the total relief fund. The remainder of the sum went to alleviation of the plight of Jews in Eastern Europe and to operating and administrative expenses in the committee’s foreign and New York offices. About $340,000 was used in Eastern Europe, while approximately $109,000 went to administrative expenses.

REPORT VERY DOLOROUS

The general tenor of Mr. Hyman’s report of the Jewish situation in foreign nations was gloomy in the extreme. If anything, Mr. Hyman found, the condition of Jewry in Germany and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe has “stabilized for the worse.”

“The tragedy of Jewish existence in Eastern Europe,” he declared, “was overshadowed last year by the advent of the Hitler government in Germany and its unrelenting enforcement of the anti-Jewish policy. Nineteen thirty-three brought no betterment to the millions of Jews dwelling in Poland, Rumania, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Hungary and other lands. For them, if anything, the crisis was stabilized for the worse.

“In addition, anti-Semitic policies made great headway, aggravated by the spread of National Socialist propaganda emanating from Germany. This is constantly gaining ground to the great detriment of the Jews and has developed most strongly, especially among native youth groups and organizations in all these countries.

“Boycotts are being carried on against Jewish tradesmen, either openly or under cover. Thus, on top of the economic difficulties that are a result of the world-wide depression, the Jews in some countries bear the additional burden of hostile propaganda and anti-Semitic activity.”

So serious was the pressure against Jews in Germany, Mr. Hyman reported, that an estimated 54,000 were forced to leave that country and take refuge in France, Holland, Switzerland, England, Belgium, Czecho-Slovakia and other lands.

REFUGE PROBLEM ACUTE

This hegira brought an acute refugee problem, according to the report, in the many countries affected. As a result the committee was obliged to disburse or allot to the various refugee aid committees and in cooperation with the League of Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a sum in excess of $500,000.

Included in this grouping were subventions given, in addition to the various Jewish committees, to organizations like the Society of Friends, the International Student Service, the International Committee for Securing Employment for Refugee Professional Workers, the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced German Scholars, the Emergency Committee in Aid of Displaced Foreign Physicians and non-sectarian refugee national or district committees.

While the bulk of the report is devoted to the problems encountered by the committee in Germany, particular attention is paid to the acute situation of the 3,000,000 Jews in Poland.

Here, the report states, almost one-half of the total Jewish population are reported in a state of destitution bordering on economic ruin. Largely responsible for this condition are held to be “the repercussions of the intense anti-Semitic measures in Germany, racial hostility, discriminations, excesses and economic boycotts.” These, “in a large measure have weakened their sense of security and sapped their courage and morale.”

FORCED OUT BY MONOPOLIES

“Various state monopolies,” the report continues, “have displaced the Jews in many commercial and industrial fields; there are practically no Jews in government employment, public offices or civil service; economic boycotts are daily decreasing the number of shops of the petty traders and the workshops of Jewish artisans. However, with the help of the Joint Distribution Committee, 10,000 Jewish artisans in Poland, during the past months (June to September, 1934), have been enabled to pass the artisans examination required under a new law and it has thus been possible for them to retain their means of livelihood.”

The committee, the report goes on, has been subjected to an increasing flood of tragic appeals for the care of children in the countries affected by the anti-Semitic virus. These appeals have come from institutions such as medical-sanitary organizations, hospitals, clinics; from Jewish schools; Talmud Torahs, Yeshivahs; from trade schools and free loan societies throughout Europe.

Demands for an extension of the free loan services supplied by the committee have also increased on a large scale, the report discloses.

“At the beginning of 1933,” the report continues, “we were obliged to give substantial support to activities that we had hoped the local Jewish population would be able to maintain by their own efforts. Emergency conditions sorely taxed the heavily tried Jewish people of these countries in the face of constant impoverishment and growing destitution.”

HELP FARM COLONIES

The portion of the report dealing with the committee’s activities in Russia disclosed that large sums were spent in furthering the program of agricultural colonization.

“There was expended,” Mr. Hyman said, “through Agro-Joint on farm settlement work in 1933, over 5,000,000 rubles, of which 2,000,000 rubles came from funds of the Society and 3,000,000 rubles from appropriations of the Government. The Agro-Joint, likewise, paid a great deal of attention to preparing for factories and shop work, thousands of persons unable or unfit to be taken into farm settlement activity. For this work, Agro-Joint expended in 1933, 2,000,000 rubles from old assets of the J. D. C.”

Covering its work in Palestine, the committee’s report said that it was “able to assure constructive aid in many directions” primarily through the Palestine Economic Corporation.

Through the committee’s office in Berlin, from April to December, 1933, advisory service was extended to more than 30,000 applicants who desired to emigrate to Palestine. Of this number, 3,700 persons were actually aided to take up life in Palestine on labor entry certificates supplied by the Jewish Agency and distributed by the Palaestina Amt.

MOST PASSES TO YOUNG

The majority of certificates were issued to persons under thirty-five, it was disclosed.

Turning to the subject of individual aid given by members of the committee, Mr. Hyman singled out for appreciation the work of Miss Pauline Baerwald, chairman of the Junior Division.

“The Junior Division,” he declared, “has made real headway in many communities of the country and bids fair to attract, to an intelligent understanding of our problems and to active participation in our work, many of the younger people of our communities.”

For their work in connection with the committee, Mr. Hyman also accorded praise to the following: Mr. Justice Irving Lehman, Charles J. Liebman, Dr. Cyrus Adler, Dr. Jacob Billikopf, Dr. Henry Moskowitz, Rabbi Irving F. Reichert, Dr. Maurice J. Karpf, Rabbi Ferdinand M. Isserman, Henry J. Bernheim and Dr. Maurice Eisendrath.