March 11 Day of Protest Against Poland’s Withdrawal of Plan to Lessen Taxes

The Jewish Parliament Club (“Kolo”) of the Polish Sejm, yesterday proclaimed next Tuesday, March 11, as a day of protest against the decision of the Polish government to withdraw its plan for easing the tax burdens of tradesmen. In its appeal to the Jewish population, the “Kolo” says:

“Jewish citizens, brother tradesmen and artisans. Tradesmen and artisans are breaking under the strain of impossible taxes. The cry of despair is heard from one end of Poland to the other. All our meetings and protests have been of no avail. We are discriminated against because we are a minority. But your sufferings are our sufferings and your pain is our pain. “Brothers, do not lose hope. We are with you, and together we will win. After we have exhausted all means, we are striving to call the attention of government circles to your sufferings in a different manner. We hereby proclaim, Tuesday, March 11, a day of justified protest. On that day you should close your stores, shops and offices in the capital, and they should remain closed all day.

“Your voice of protest will be heard at the meetings. And let in this cry of despair be heard the pain that comes from the heart.”

At yesterday’s plenary session of the Polish Senate, the Jewish deputies interpellated the Polish Premier and Finance Minister, pointing out that the condition of the Jewish merchants and artisans is catastrophic and that suicides and bankruptcies of old, wellestablished firms have become a daily occurrence. Small trade has been ruined, they said, and the main reason for that is the too great tax burden as well as the unequal distribution of taxes among the people. The new scheme, they pointed out, is “so composed that it will not ameliorate the condition of the traders and artisans.”