The new Polish constitution, which deprives Jews of representation in the Polish Parliament and which was adopted Saturday after a stormy debate lasting over fifteen hours, resulted today in the resignation of Dr. Joshua Thon, the leading Jewish member of the Sejm, from the presidency of the Jewish Parliamentary Club.
The resignation of Dr. Thon created a sensation. It was a demonstration against the decision of the majority of the Jewish Parliamentary Club not to vote against the new constitution but merely to abstain from voting for it.
CALLS LAW MENACE
Dr. Thon at a heated session of the club, which preceded the voting, emphasized that the new constitution is a menace to the Jewish interests in Poland, and that it practically takes from the Jews their last opportunity to voice their grievances from the parliamentary tribune. He, therefore, demanded that all the Jewish deputies should vote against it.
The demand of Dr. Thon was ignored when he left the session of the club due to the Sabbath. It was after his departure that the majority of the club decided not to vote against the new constitution but to demand only the retention of proportional voting in the elections to the Polish Parliament.
SPEAKS FOR CLUB
Deputy Rottenstreich, speaking in the name of the club, later read a declaration in the Sejm announcing that the Jewish deputies would not vote in favor of the new constitution because it provided for
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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.
