sented at the Congress.
828,682 “shekolim,” voting certificates signifying membership in the World Zionist Organization, were sold this year, Dr. Ringel reported, as compared to 628,000 in 1931.
The situation of the middle-class, trade and industry in Palestine was the subject of a report this afternoon by Heschel Farbstein of Poland, Mizrachi leader and member of the Jewish Agency executive. Farbstein was warmly applauded by the Mizrachi and by the Revisionist delegates.
In his report Farbstein pointed out that there had not been much done for the middle-class Jewish settlers as in the opinion of the executive, it was more important to attend to agriculture than to the middle-class. Nevertheless, he said, many experiments had been undertaken for the latter class which had succeeded in establishing new markets in neighboring countries with low freight rates and good competitive possibilities.
WORKER WOULD ALSO BENEFIT
Urging more attention be paid to middle-class endeavor, the speaker declared this would also improve the condition of the worker who would earn more in town in industry than in agricultural activities. He expressed regret that the small middle class immigrant was looked down upon “as a beggar” and the hope that this class of immigration in Palestine will receive more encouragement. At the same time he pointed to the need of smaller industries in Palestine finding wider range of products to decrease growing competition among themselves.
The number of small industries in Palestine has doubled within the past ten years according to figures cited by Farbstein, and are now engaging four times the number of workers employed ten years ago.
3,281 Palestine industrial enterprises now employ 16,500 workers and have a capital of 4,600,000 pounds, he declared.
The important discussion on the German situation, which was to have taken place tonight, has been postponed until tomorrow.
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.
