Jews of Montreal Now United on School Question

The Montreal Jewish school question will be solved before the present session of the Quebec Legislature will be over. This was the announcement made by Joseph Cohen, K.C., M.L.A., representing the Montreal-St. Lawrence Division, in a speech before the Quebec Legislative Assembly yesterday afternoon.

“When the necessary legislation is forthcoming, I think that I can assure the Government that one side of the argument, the Jewish side, will be presented with a united front, unanimous in desires and aspirations,” he said.

Mr. Cohen’s announcement was in the form of a reply to the statement made recently by Premier Taschereau of the Province of Quebec to a group of Jews which demanded a separate school panel. The Premier had drawn the attention of the representatives to the fact that the Jews themselves were not united, inasmuch as some wanted a separate school panel, while others wished to continue with the present-day school system according to which Jewish children of Montreal attend the local Protestant schools.

Mr. Cohen continued:

“In regard to the framing of the legislation which must be adopted, I beg that due account be taken of the national aspirations of a people which has taken its full share of responsibilities in the Province of Quebec, and is now asking the Government and the people its full share of rights. I hope that the legislation may be such that both sides will be satisfied with due consideration for national pride.”

Mr. Cohen, together with Peter Bercovitch, K.C., M.L.A., is sponsoring the cause of the Jews of the Province of Quebec in their fight for a separate school panel. The two representatives have drafted an amendment to the Quebec Education Act whereby the Jewish population of the province will be provided with a distinct Jewish section of the Committee of Public Instruction.