Jews in Turkey Cannot Get Restitution for Discriminatory Tax

Despite many public statements by government officials and leaders of the Democratic Party, which is now in power in Turkey, condemning the discriminatory tax imposed on Jews and other minorities in 1942, there is little evidence that the government either can or desires to make restitution of some 600,000,000 Turkish pounds which were confiscated by the tax collectors.

When a Jew who paid 2,000,000 pounds tax in 1942–the largest single tax payment–recently applied for restitution he was roundly abused by the press and by the Minister of Finance. The matter is considered closed. Nor has action been taken on a suggestion by a group of Turkish MP’s, including Jewish deputy Salamon Adatto, that the government float a special bond issue to repay the victims of the discriminatory tax.

Evidence that the tax is condemned by public opinion was supplied some months ago when S. Saracoglu, former Premier, who was chiefly responsible for the tax on minorities, said that if he were returned to power he would impose a new and similar tariff. Public reaction was completely opposed to his views and even some prominent members of his Republican Party disagreed with the ex-Premier.

Since then the present Premier and Finance Minister have condemned the tax as a blot on the history of Turkey and the Mayor of Istanbul, F. K. Gokay, as well as a regional conference of the Democratic Party, has condemned those who were responsible for the imposition of the tax. A book written by a high Finance Ministry official exposing the men responsible for passage of the tax has received wide circulation.