Queries by Reich Jews of Palestine Information Bureau Drop Sharply

A one-third decline in the number of German requests for information is reported by the Central Bureau for Economic Information in its review of its activities during 1935.

The Bureau, which is maintained by the American Economic Committee for Palestine, furnished information on industrial, agricultural and commercial questions to 2,355 capitalist immigrant families, prospective capitalist immigrants, investors and prospective investors during the year, the report discloses.

While Germans constituted the largest single group of nations to make enquiries, they no longer formed a majority, the report states. Aggregate capital declared by enquirers who specified their capital resources amounted to £.4,343,310 in and out of Palestine. This compares with £.4,115,470 in 1934. A decrease in the amount of liquid or liquidateable capital is noted, the amount for 1935 being £3,067,100 compared to £3,406,550 in 1934.

The report points out that the statements regarding capital must be utilized with discretion since not all prospective immigrants may immigrate and may not bring their entire capital resources.

“The trend noted in 1934 of a diminishing interest in establishing new industrial enterprises and a corresponding increase in the search for other pursuits continued in 1935,” the report states.

“Among the causes which became more and more pronounced as the year progressed and with which the Central Bureau had to cope daily in the course of its work were the following: unbridled dumping, inadequate customs tariff protection for infant undertakings with reasonable economic bases, lack of complete customs tariff exemption on all industrial machinery and equipment, lack of suitable leasable factory, space, lack of longer term industrial credits and, particularly, the lack of an adequate supply of labor.”