Warsaw Municipality Votes Subsidy for Jewish Free Loan Society

A subvention of 24,000 zloty was granted by the Warsaw municipality for the local Gemilath Chessed Kassa, free lean society, according to a report received by David A. Brown, National Chairman of the United Jewish Campaign, from the European representative of the Joint Distribution Committee.

The Warsaw free loan society which was organized with funds furnished by the Joint Distribution Committee had a budget of over 600,000 zloty (about $66,000), last year. The Joint Distribution Committee contributed 380,000 zloty toward this sum, and the Jewish population of Warsaw furnished an amount of over 230,000 zloty.

A rate of 2,000 zloty per month, will furnish loans to only a limited number of families. The Warsaw Jewish population, however, regard this subvention as significant since it esablishes the principle that the Jewish free loan society is entitled to subsidies from the city government, and it is hoped that in the future these subventions will be enlarged.

The example set by the Warsaw municipality has already been followed by a number of smaller municipalities–Pinsk, Lentshitz, Garvolin, Kartuz-Bereza, Sochochov, Liebartow. Although in each instance the subvention is small and does not amount to much in actual relief, the official recognition given to the Jewish institution is regarded as a definite step.

Up to this time, the loan societies already in existence in 500 towns in Poland have received the larger part of their funds from the Joint Distribution Committee. About 40% of the operating funds are supplied by the local population through various taxes, collections and entertainments. The Jewish population in the city of Warsaw has introduced a voluntary room tax, which last year yielded the sum of 181,000 zloty. A room tax has also been adopted in Brest-Litovsk, Pinsk, and other towns. In various localities, taxes are levied on Schechita, fuel, and some communities have initiated a cemetery tax.