Polish Government Providing Aid for Hunger-stricken Jewish Population.

The Government is arranging for a widespread activity throughout the country for the purpose of providing relief for the unemployed and distressed population during the coming winter. For the purpose of raising the funds, increases have been made in the postal charges, railway fares, entertainment tickets, etc., and the Government believes that this will provide sufficient additional revenue for the unemployed relief work.

A Central Committee covering the whole of Poland has been set up in conjunction with the Prime Minister’s office, and local committees have been appointed in the various towns to deal with particular areas and sections of the population.

In order to discuss the relief work among the suffering Jewish population of Warsaw, the Government Commissioner has held a meeting here with the members of the Jewish Rescue Committee to hear their views and suggestions. The Vice-District Governor, M. Alpinsky, explained that there would be about three million zlotys expended in the City of Warsaw to relieve the distress during the winter. The authorities wanted the Jewish representatives to tell them how much of this amount should go to Jews, and how the relief work among the Jewish population was to be organised.

The leaders of the Jewish Rescue Committee there-upon pointed out that the Jews constitute a third of the population of Warsaw, and should, therefore, receive a third of the entire sum to be expended, one million zlotys. They stated that there are 10,000 distressed Jewish families registered with the Jewish Rescue Committee, which is prepared to assume responsibility for the work of feeding the needy Jews of Warsaw, if the Government provided the necessary funds. They asked the Government to provide for each neady Jewish family a ton of coals, 500 kilo of potatoes, 150 Kilo of beet, 150 kilo of cabbage and a certain quantity of flour, fat, etc. If the Rescue Committee would be given these foodstuffs, it would open kitchens in which the needy Jews would obtain meals.

M. Alpinsky said that the Government would give the necessary aid, but it must first be supplied with the exact figures of the number of unemployed and distressed Jews in Warsaw, and the numbers in each particular district. When it had these figures, the Government would know in which districts it was necessary to open large kitchens or small kitchens, and in general how to organise the relief work among the Jews on systematic lines. The Rescue Committee would therefore be asked to submit to the authorities as soon as possible a complete list of all the Jews who are in need, set out according to districts and with all other necessary details.

It was the wish of the Government, he added, to devote most of its attention to feeding the school children. They knew of cases of children fainting in the schools for hunger. It was intended to provide breakfasts and mid-day meals for these children in the schools.

The Executive of the Jewish Rescue Committee is holding a special meeting now for the purpose of drawing up the report asked for by the Government, and this will be submitted to the Government Commissioner immediately.