(J. T. A. Mail Service)
The possibilities for settling 15,000 more Jewish families on the 109,000 rectares of land in Crimea recently allotted by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, were outlined in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency representative here by J. Golde, member of the praesidium of the Comzet, government agency for the settlement of Jews on the land. Mr. Golde is leaving Monday for Crimea where he will make a survey together with experts of the Crimea government of the various tracts of land that are still unsed or can be made available for Jewish colonization.
The two chief problems in connection with the new undertaking, Mr. Golde expplained, will be to secure suitable land and, if possible, to establish the new colonies in the vicinity of the present Jewish settlements with the view to solidifying the Jewish region of Crimea.
“This task will of course be connected with considerable difficulties,” Mr. Golde stated “because there is not much fertile land available and whatever of it is to be found is not all situated near the Jewish settlements but is scattered. We believe on the whole that very good results can be obtained through intensive cultivation in those places where the land is otherwise unsuitable. Our aim will be wherever possible to settle the Jewish families in the districts between the present Jewish colonies in order to bind them together and solidify the Jewish region in Crimea.
“There is a large and fertile tract of land in the Simferopol district, near the Jewish colonies, which was allocated about three years ago by the Soviet government for the settlement of the Tartar population of Southern Crimea. The Tartars have made no use of this land but at the same time they have been opposed to the settlement of Jews there. We will now make another effort to secure this tract for Jewish colonization, and I hope we may be successful.”
The activity of the Comzet in connection with the settlement of the new 15,000 Jewish families in Crimea will be limited to making a survey of the available land. The actual work of settlement will be given over to the Agrojoint, while the Comzet plans to concentrate entirely on Biro-Bidjan, Mr. Golde stated.
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