An average of 5,000 Jews monthly continue to emigrate from Poland, although the mass exodus from the country has lessened.
Jewish circles estimated today that about 2,000 Jews are leaving the country legally each month and that more than 3,000 are leaving “illegally.” The majority of those who emigrate without permission from the authorities consist of members of Zionist training centers who travel to similar centers in the American zones in Germany and Austria through Czechoslovakia. It is estimated that an average of 120 Jews cross the Polish-Czech frontiers daily.
Legal emigration is meeting with difficulties because of red tape introduced by the Foreign Ministry. Clearance from the military authorities and from the tax office is required prior to issuance of a permit to leave the country. It now takes more than two months for an applicant to get a passport, whereas a few months ago it was possible to obtain one in a short time.
A delegation of the Central Committee of Polish Jews and of the Palestine Office here visited the Foreign Ministry and appealed for a speedier procedure. Officials of the ministry explained that due to their limited staff, it was impossible to grant passports at a faster rate. However, they promised to take the request of the Jewish delegation under consideration.
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