Jewish Artisans in Russia Complain Against Excessive Taxes

Three hundred Jewish artisans in the town Bar in the district of Mohilev-Podol suffered confiscation of their tools and household goods at the hands of the district tax collector Kamarnitzky, declares the “Emes,” Yiddish Communist daily of Moscow, citing instances where local tax collectors are oppressing Jewish artisans.

Upon the complaint of nine artisans in Bar, Kamarnitzky was removed by the authorities. The “Emes,” however, demands his arrest, charging that he brought extreme hardship to the 300 artisans in the town, taking over their furniture, the tools with which they earned a livelihood and their household goods, on the claim of taxes.

Tax collectors in many towns and villages are oppressing many Jewish artisans, “Nasha Gazetta” states. The local collectors practice a system of over-taxing the artisans, illegally confiscating their property for non-payment of the excessive tax. The paper cites a case in Proskurov where the collector Sharapatov caused the ruin of many Jewish artisans.

The practice of withdrawing the franchise from certain elements of the population continued to be unjustly applied to many Jews. The Soviet press charges frequent injustices due to the bureaucracy of the officials. In many cases, when Jews deny that they are house-owners, they are ordered to furnish proof. The case of a Jewess was cited. She was disfranchised because “her father was a Czarist cabinet minister in Berditchev.” She complained to the Department of Justice, saying that she had told the officials that there were no Jewish ministers in Czarist times, nor was there a government in Berditchev, but the local officials demanded proof.