Jewish Economic Leaders in Poland See New Era Opening for Jews As Result of Marshal Pilsudski’s Elec

The Jews of Poland can look forward to greatly improved conditions, thanks to Marshal Pilsudski’s victories in the recent elections for the Sejm and the Senate, Jewish economic leaders here today informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Pointing out that they did not want to express any opinion before the election in order that the electorate should not be influenced by their statements, the Jewish leaders stated that no other situation could be more favorable to Polish Jewry than the one created as a result of the elections.

The misfortune of Polish Jewry has been the frequent cabinet changes and the splitting up of the members of parliament into small groups all of which were fighting each other but were always united when laws favoring the Jews were to be promulgated, it is explained. When ridiculously low taxes were imposed on the peasantry, throwing the heaviest burden of taxation on the town population, and thus the Jews, the Socialists voted with the peasant deputies.

The Sunday closing law, greatly affecting the Jews, was passed with the Left wing supporting the National Democrats. Jewish requests for increased subsidies for Jewish purposes were always rejected by nearly unanimous votes, the National Democrats voting with the peasant group while the Socialists abstained from voting, explaining that they were entirely disinterested in religious needs.

GOT NO CABINET SUPPORT

The Jewish leaders explain that the Jews never succeeded in moving any government or in obtaining the support of any cabinet, particularly in economic matters, because the cabinet had a loophole for its refusal by claiming that it needed the support of other parties outside of the cabinet which were never favorable to the Jews. This was the explanation that was generally given when the government was unwilling to satisfy Jewish demands.

It is further pointed out that the domestic state of unsettlement made it impossible for Poland to stimulate confidence in international financial circles thus making it difficult for the state and municipalities to raise loans from the outside or to obtain financial backing for Polish enterprises. Economic circles were therefore convinced of the necessity of a change in the attitude towards the Polish Republic by the financial world and of a greater influx of foreign capital. In this respect an important beginning has already been made by the loan granted by the Swedish match syndicate. An improvement has also been noticed in domestic shares, a rise being evident immediately after the elections.

JEWS TO BENEFIT

The occupations of the Polish Jews make them essentially most sensitive to the financial state of the country and put them in a position where they are likely to benefit when foreign capital comes into the country.

Of the 444 deputies in the Sejm, the government bloc now has 247, the Socialists 23, the minorities 32, the peasants 16 and the Communists 4, thus forming an overwhelming majority over the anti-Semitic National Democrats who have 63 seats and the other anti-Semitic groups. Of the 111 senators the pro-government bloc has 73, the Radicals 16, and the minorities 8 while the National Democrats have only 12.

SEE ANTI-SEMITISM ON DECLINE

Those leaders whom the Jewish Telegraphic Agency interviewed see in this parliamentary alignment proof that anti-Semitic mentality in Poland is on the decline. In view of the further strengthening of the country’s position, the fact that a strong government is now established and the striving for improvement in the country’s economic status in which the extermination policy towards the Jews must essentially disappear, makes the Jewish leaders feel that there will undoubtedly be greater Jewish security against possible excesses and hooliganism or pogroms.

Analyzing the composition of the Polish legislative body, the Jewish leaders believe that the new parliament will be more favorable to the Jews than the overwhelmingly anti-Semitic majority which comprised parliament hitherto. Eliminating the Jewish political problem and disregarding the numerical decrease in the Jewish deputies, it is pointed out that the pro-government candidates in many cities received the support of a large number of Jewish voters.

They also note with satisfaction that the pro-government parliamentary club includes a few Jewish members and on the basis of this hope believe that the cabinet will not find it necessary to negotiate with the various Sejm groups because the cabinet will now have sufficient power to show an understanding of the Jewish situation independent of the opinions of the other parties less favorably disposed and will settle favorably the economic demands of the Jewish population.