Efforts by Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, Reich Minister of Economics, to secure repeal of the Ministry of the Interior order to police not to renew permits for Jewish traveling salesmen, have so far proved unsuccessful, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency authoritatively learned today.
The order, issued Christmas Eve, goes into effect January 1 and imperils the livelihood of an estimated thirty to fourty thousand Jewish drummers.
Dr. Schacht, although he acted swiftly when appealed to by Jewish leader, is believed to be powerless to effect repeal of the order. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is informed, however, that the Economics Ministry may shortly issue a statement on the matter for publication in the entire German press and to reach local officials before the New Year.
Jewish circles here, voicing appreciation of Dr. Schacht’s efforts, expressed doubt that they would be successful, citing the recent virtual confiscation, for “socialization” purposes, of the Simson munitions works in Thuringia as evidence of his steadily decreasing influence. It is common knowledge here that Dr. Schacht strenuously opposed the Simson action.
The Ministry of Economics today informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that there are 24,386 Jewish traveling salesmen. In Jewish circles the number is estimated at between thirty and forty thousand.
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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.