Russia Notifies Jewish Refugees to Prepare for Repatriation to Poland and Baltics

Jewish refugees from Poland, Lithuenia and latvia who are now in Uzbekistan have been notified by the Soviet authorities to prepare for repatriation to their former homes, it was learned here today from cables received by relatives of the refugees. The cables, sent from Tashkent, disclose that the Soviet order stated that the repatriation of the refugees will take place in the very near future.

It was estimated here today that there are between 150,000 and 200,000 polish Jews in Usbekistan who may be rapatriated to poland. The number of Baltic Jews is comparatively small, since few succeeded in escaping into Russia prior to the German occupation of the Baltic countries. It is assumed here that those Polish Jews who are considered Soviet citisens because they were born in Polish territory now claimed by Russia will not be included among the repatriates.

Mishmar, Hobrew daily newspaper, today reports that the Jewish Communist party in palestine has sent a letter to the Histadruth, the Palestine Federation of Jewish Labor, expressing regret at the attitude taken by members of the party during the Arab dusturbances, when they justified Arab terror against Jews. The letter also regrets the party’s former apposition to Jewish immigration into Palestine and points out that the Jewish Communists in Palestine are supporting the resolution adopted last month by the World Trade Union Conference in London advocating the development of the Jewish National Home in Palestine.

In connection with the letter, the Hashomer Hatzair, left wing of the Histadruth, today demanded that the Jewish Communist Party be re-admitted to the Histadruth from which it was expelled in 1936 for taking a pro-Arab and anti-Jewish stand during the Arab riots.