United Jewish Campaign Issues Urgent Appeal for Payment of Pledges

Declaring that Jewish economic conditions are in many parts of Europe worse today than they were five years ago, David A. Brown, National Chairman of the United Jewish Campaign addressed an appeal to thousands of local officers of the campaign, to speed up collections in their respective communities and make it possible for the Joint Distribution Committee to send abroad immediately funds that have been allocated for various constructive and palliative relief projects, which are languishing for lack of money.

Mr. Brown states in his appeal, that due to the prosperity prevailing in the United States and Canada at this time, many contributors have assumed that Jewish conditions in Europe also have improved, and consequently have slowed-up their payments with the result that less money has come in this summer in proportion to outstanding pledges than at any time since the campaign began.

The Jews of Europe still look to America to save them from utter destruction, he says, and expresses confidence that the appeal he has just issued, though made in the midst of the summer season will receive the response which the situation demands.

“We had hoped that there would be sufficient available funds coming in through the summer months to take care of budget requirements, but in this we have been greatly disappointed,” the appeal states. “In fact, less money has come in this summer in proportion to the outstanding pledges than at any time since the campaign was projected.

“The excuse of hard times is past. The argument that we are going through a period of depression cannot stand in the light of the prosperous condition in which this country finds itself at the present time. I can only see one reason why our collections have dwindled to almost nothing and that is an assumption that the same measure of prosperity which we are enjoying in this country is being enjoyed by the Jews, in other parts of the world, who have been dependent upon us for the past years. Let me make it very clear, my good friends, that the economic conditions of our people abroad are in many cases worse today then they were five years ago, and that the cry coming to us is as great today as it ever has been in the history of our great effort.

“All of us must arouse ourselves, even though it interferes with our usual summer pleasures. An effort must be made now, even before the cooler weather sets in, to raise as large a sum of money as is possible.”

Conditions among Jews in Russia have not improved and the only hope is industrialization, was the observation of Judge Jacob Panken, chairman of the American Ort, who returned this week from a three months trip abroad.

“The feeling among the Russian Jews

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and those who work in Russia,” said Judge Panken, “is that industrialization is the real hope of the solution of the problem confronting the Jewish people. Colonization is undoubtedly working out splendidly for those who were fortunate enough to have the necessary funds for undertaking, or to be selected by the Agro-Joint. It is impossible to place all the Russian Jews upon the land. That is conceded on all sides. The urban population therefore must have an other avenue of sustenance.

“The first necessity is the extension of the school system to teach the tens of thousands of applicants some trade. Secondly, they need assistance in the organization of artels where production may be put on a large scale, giving employment not only to the skilled but making provision also for the employment of the semi-skilled, and those entirely untrained,” he said.