The Club of Jewish Deputies in the Polish Sejm today issued a statement warning of the menace to Jewish participation in trade, the crafts and industry of the projected government law requiring a system of qualifications for merchants, artisans and men engaged in industry.
The law, in its present form, leaves the regulation of these qualifications in the hands of the Minister of Economics. It restricts free trading and free selection of occupations. It is feared that this law is the opening wedge for a program of discrimination against the Jews on the part of the administrative authorities who have the power to withdraw licenses from all merchants, artisans and men engaged in industries.
A country-wide protest, in the form of mass meetings in which all Jewish economic organizations elected officials and others will join, is being planned to start in a few days, supported by virtually the entire Jewish press. Calls for this demonstration describe the projected law as jeopardizing the entire Jewish economic structure in Poland.
It is learned that there is no intention of recalling the law in its entirety although certain minor changes not altering the general tone of the law or changing its effects will be made.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
