Stories of ruthless taxation which is rapidly ruining the urban Jewish population of Poland are heard here daily. Jewish delegations from many districts and towns, lacking the few pennies necessary to file an appeal, arrive to plead with central authorities in person.
In many cases the delegations point out that the taxes imposed on them are double the amount of their incomes, but the local tax collectors seize the last few sticks of furniture owned by the poverty-stricken Jewish traders and artisans.
In the township of Serock the tax collectors, finding nothing of value to confiscate, seized the Meir Bal Ness charity boxes, in which charitable Jews leave contributions.
Government officials promised the Jewish delegations they would investigate the complaints and issue new instructions to the tax chiefs of the districts concerned.
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.
