A report of the official Polish Telegraphic Agency that kosher slaughtering had been prohibited in the Kartuza district in western Poland, and that the ban has evoked “general satisfaction,” aroused bitter attacks in Jewish newspapers today.
Simultaneously it was learned that Jewish ritual slaughter had been banned in the cities of Czenstochow, Starograd and Gnesen.
The Association of Rabbis cabled large Jewish communities throughout the world calling upon them to join Polish Jewry in a second fast on Thursday in protest against the prohibition of kosher slaughtering and to repair to synagogues to recite psalms.
In Wilno, which has a large Jewish population, the rabbinate proclaimed an additional fast day for March 24 in protest against the action of the Municipal Council last week in banning kosher slaughtering.
While separate cities were introducing the ban one by one, a Parliament Commission scheduled a debate on a national bill banning kosher slaughtering for Thursday. Jewish and non-Jewish experts will be examined on the question.
The Polish Telegraphic Agency report said that the Kartuza ban was promulgated under an old Prussian law, adding that it was “evoking general satisfaction from the whole population.”
Jewish newspapers assailed the report asserting that for the first time report of the official news agency was seeking to stimulate public opinion in favor of banning Jewish slaughtering. The newspapers pointed out in addition that this was the first case of the ban being introduced throughout a whole district.
Anti-Semitic newspapers joined in ridiculing statements made at a press conference of Jewish communities on Feb. 29. The papers denied assertions that the fundamental issue in the proposal for banning kosher slaughtering was the menace to the Jewish religion. They added that the Jews had already lost their fight.
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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.
