Ort to Get Big Loan for Bureya Plan

A huge loan to settle 25,000 Jewish families in Biro-Bidjan, the Far Eastern Jewish autonomous Soviet district, will be raised by the ORT, the world Jewish relief organization, it was announced yesterday, by Henri Bodenheimer, president of the World ORT Federation and one of the leaders of French Jewry, who is now here on a short visit. Those to be settled are Jews from Poland and German Jewish refugees.

In a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mr. Bodenheimer declared that Dr. Lwowitch, the well-known ORT leader, has gone to Moscow to consummate a deal with the Soviet government by which Moscow will assume the liability as to the principal and the interest of the loan.

SOVIET TO REPAY LOAN

The loan, it is understood, will be fully guaranteed and repaid by the Soviet government. The first payment will be made in 1940. The entire loan, with interest, will be paid off by the Soviet authorities within fifteen years.

“If Dr. Lwowitch’s negotiations in Moscow are completed successfully we shall begin the settlement of Jewish refugees in Biro-Bidjan by this Summer,” Mr. Bodenheimer stated.

The importance of reorganizing Jewish economy to place more Jews in industry and agriculture was stressed at a reception given Wednesday night to M. and Mme. Bodenheimer by the People’s ORT Federation at the Pennsylvania Hotel. More than 100 persons were present.

“The Jew must be made self-sustaining in agriculture and in industry,” M. Bodenheimer said. He outlined the impoverization of the Jews in Poland, where, he said, the ORT maintains forty-nine institutions for vocational training.

Previously Morris Waldman, secretary of the American Jewish Committee, had declared that “Jews should be able to follow any occupations they are fitted for.” Other speakers were Louis Boudin and Mrs. Francis Dolowitz. Dr. Henry Moskowitz presided.