Biro-Bidjan is not in competition with Palestine, Lord Marley told a meeting at the home of Dr. Morris Sorsby.
“There is room for both and for other territories, too,” said the peer. “Both ought to be tried out and prove themselves by their accomplishments.”
Lord Marley described his visit to Biro-Bidjan, the character of the country, its rich mineral resources and the possibilities of establishing a Jewish autonomous settlement there.
He said there is no Jewish question in the Soviet Union. However, the Jews are demanding a seat on the Council of Nationalities, a request which could not be complied with unless the Jews first exist as a nation in a specified territory of their own.
For this reason the Jewish autonomous region in the Far East is being organized, Lord Marley explained.
The speaker said Palestine has certain definite advantages, but in directions the balance is tipped in favor of Bureya.
“Bureya has the advantage of not having a native population,” he asserted. “It is an almost uninhabited country. There will be no clash with the Arabs. Also there is no British government to impede progress.
“Palestine has a shortage of water. Bureya has too much water. After drainage the land will be most fertile.”
Turning to the question of the Communist ideology, Lord Marley pointed out that there are settlements in Palestine built on socialist-communal lines.
The strongest party in Palestine looks forward to Palestine’s becoming a socialist republic, he said. He quoted the recent reports presented by Dr. Joseph Rosen and Dr. Jacob Zegelnitzky and also spoke of the prospects in Biro-Bidjan for Jews from Poland and other countries besides Russia.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
