Dr. Singalovsky, one of the leaders of the O.R.T. World Federation, was received here to-day by M. Argetoianu, the Minister of the Interior, to whom he reported at length on the work which is done by the O.R.T. Federation on behalf of the Jewish populations of various countries, including Bessarabia and other parts of Roumania. The Minister expressed his sympathy with the activities of the O.R.T.
Dr. Singalovsky proceeded to ask the Minister for State subsidies for the O.R.T. schools, in which the Jewish youth are taught handicrafts, and the Minister promised that he would see to it that the subsidies should be given, though the present financial situation of the country is a very difficult one. He also promised to release from customs dues machinery sent to Roumanian Jews by relatives living abroad, through the medium of the O.R.T., in order to enable them to engage in productive occupations. He also promised State aid to relieve the situation of the Jewish tobacco planters in Bessarabia who are suffering as a result of the official monopoly of the tobacco industry.
The Polish Foreign Minister, Count Zaleski, promised Dr. Lvovitch, another leading figure in the World Federation O.R.T. who is now conducting O.R.T. activity in New York, while he was in Warsaw last April that the Polish Government will give favourable consideration to the proposal that the Polish Government should release from Customs Bues machinery and raw materials sent to Poland by Jews living in America or West-European countries through the medium of the O.R.T., in order to enable their relatives living in Poland to engage in productive work as artisans. This is part of a systematic plan of the O.R.T. to secure such facilities in Poland, Roumania and other East-European and South-east European countries, on the lines of the agreement concluded between the O.R.T. and the Soviet Government in 1928, under which the O.R.T. is able to import into the Soviet Union, without payment of any Customs Bues machinery and raw materials provided for the use of Russian Jews by relatives living in America or the West-European countries. At the time this agreement with the Soviet Government was concluded, Dr. Lvovitch explained in an interview with the J.T.A. that the scheme had been launched to enable people who had hitherto assisted their relatives by sending them a few pounds or dollars to send them instead a machine and raw materials enabling them to work and earn their own livelihood. Since such machines cost considerable sums, the O.R.T. under its relative aid scheme enables the relatives to pay off the cost of the machine in instalments, and for the purpose of financing this relative aid work the O.R.T. has formed the O.R.T. Credit Corporation in America. Such a financial institute is also being projected in Europe. Constructive relative aid, Dr. Lvovitch concluded, is needed not only in Russia but also in Poland, Roumania, Lithuania, Palestine, etc., and we hope that the Governments of these countries will find it possible to accede to our request to grant us privileges similar to those given by the Soviet Government in order to facilitate the work.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
