Sejm Leaders Prepared to Push Shechita Ban Through; 100,000 Jews Expected to Lose Jobs

While Jews throughout Poland were making last-minute preparations for tomorrow’s general strike in protest against the anti-Jewish reign of terror, leaders of the Parliament today were preparing to push through the Sejm the bill to prohibit shechita, Jewish ritual method of slaughtering animals for human consumption.

The anti-shechita measure will be adopted by the Polish lower house, it is believed, with a provise giving the Government the right “to provide for the immediate needs of national minorities.” This provise is taken to mean that a numerus clausus will be introduced by the Government for the Jewish meat trade, while shechita generally will be prohibited.

Jewish newspapers estimated today that at least 100,000 Jews would lose their means of livelihood if the anti-shechita measure is made into law and if the newly proposed bill to restrict sale of dairy products and vegetables by Jews is adopted.

Both measures come up for consideration in the Sejm tomorrow. Fearing demonstrations may be made when the two bills are being debated, the Speaker of the Sejm ordered the gallery barred to visitors.

Meanwhile the Central Executive of the Zionist Organization of Poland issued a proclamation addressed to the Polish people and to the world to protest the proposed ban. For the first time, also, the pro-Government Jewish Party issued a protest against the bill.

New support for the general strike called by Jewish labor groups in protest against the anti-Jewish excesses raging throughout Poland appeared today when all Polish factories in Bialystok decided to halt operations for one hour tomorrow in sympathy with the strike. Polish labor unions in Lodz, Czenstochew and other large industrial centers, announced that they would support the strike.