Poland Promises to Ease Artisan Law

Easing of the Artisans’ Law, which went into effect on January 1, and which was expected to work great hardship on Jewish artisans, was seen here as result of a conference between Dr. M. Sokolowsky, chief of the department of industrial administration, and Jewish representatives.

Definite promises were obtained that the government would relax payments on the heavy fees, which poverty-stricken Jewish are unable to pay, liberalize the regulations on applications, accept affidavits issued by the Jewish communities, and in general interpret the law in a liberal spirit instead of sticking to the letter of the law.

One result of the discussions, it was stated, is that it was made clear that the government bureaus do not act in the spirit of the law and the intentions of the legislators, because many thousands of artisans are not in a position to adapt themselves to the provisions despite their most earnest attempts to do so.

OFFICIALS COMPLICATE RULING

The delegates dealt first with the question of settling the applications for artisans’ certificates which were introduced before August 15. They pointed out that in spite of the definite provisions of the Industrial Law, which says that those who submitted their applications for an artisan certificate before August 15 on the ground of acquired rights should receive it without having to present a certificate from the artisans’ chambers, district officials have ordered that all such applications must be accompanied by a certificate from the artisans’ chamber.

These instructions will result in making it impossible for many artisans to ##rry on their work, because the artisans’ chambers demand documents which they are in many cases unable to produce.

Dr. Sokolowsky said he did not think that administrative authorities should place difficulties in the way of artisans who had submitted their applications before August 15.

EVIDENCE FAILS APPLICANTS

The delegates also informed him of the difficulties which are being put up by the artisans’ chambers. They do not accept a certificate from the town council or the Jewish community that the applicant had a workshop before the Industrial Law entered into force on December 15. 1927, but they require production of evidence that payments were made to the sick fund at that time in their capacity as artisan workshop owners. It is not possible for many of the applicants to produce such evidence.

The government representative declared that a certificate issued by the town council or the Jewish community is sufficient evidence for acquiring the necessary rights.

The delegates also told Dr. Sokolowsky that since the chambers have not yet managed to deal with many of the applications made and the large number of new applications, which it will not be possible to deal with by January 1, government bureaus should recognize the fact that the application has been made and issue provisional registration until the application is dealt with.

He replied an order was issued on December 28 that all applications for artisans’ certificates which were submitted up to December 31, 1934, the industrial authorities or artisans’ chambers should be dealt with and replied to within the next three months, and that during the course of this period workshops should not be closed.

The delegates also complained that the Union of Artisans’ Chambers had issued a circular which recommends that the chambers grant dispensation only if the applicant has passed his thirtieth year, which would mean that he had worked uninterruptedly in the particular branch of artisanship. The issuance of such a circular was in conflict with the law and had caused a great deal of excitement. Many memorandums had been submitted to the Minister of Trade and Industry by social and professional organizations and individuals.

Dr. Sokolowsky replied that the principal criterion for dealing favorably with applications for dispensation should be by investigation by an objective qualifying commission that the applicant has sufficient professional knowledge.

The delegates also called attention to the fact that the artisans’ chambers were charging excessive fees for issuing artisans’ certificates by means of dispensation. The fees had been increased recently from twenty to sixty zlotys, so that together with other necessary payments it would amount to 100 zlotys. a sum which very few artisans can now afford to pay.

Dr. Sokolowsky promised he would endeavor to have these fees reduced. He said he was sure that the artisans’ chambers would agree to make reductions for artisans who had no funds and concluded by saying he considered it was not desirable to have artisan workshops opened without legal registration. He asserted that it was harmful to the artisan profession as a whole.

The interests of the artisans should be in consonance with the interests of the State. The government had no intention of setting up a privileged class of artisans, but wanted everything done in a legal manner, without in any way making more acute the already very serious economic crisis. The present situation in regard to the artisan profession was result of the fact that this was a time of transition. The authorities desired to normalize these relations in agreement with the interests of the State and the population as a whole.