The initials, Y.S.S.R., meaning the Yiddish Socialist Soviet Republic, describing the territory of Bira Bidjan, will soon become a part of the official vocabulary in the Soviet Union.
Peter Smidovitch, vice-president of Soviet Russia, speaking Thursday, at an open air meeting here, devoted to a discussion of the Jewish colonization movement, made the announcement of the Soviet Government’s intention to proceed with the colonization by Jews of the territory of Bira Bidjan, Siberia, the territory, slated several years ago for a Jewish colonization project, sponsored by the Ozet, society for settling Jews on the land. Several hundred Jewish pioneers were assisted to proceed there and to settle on the land. Some of these pioneers have, however, returned, finding the land unfitted for cultivation. Mr. Smidovitch stated that the official name of the region will soon be changed, and that instead of Bira Bidjan it is to be known as the Y.S.S.R.
“So far, there is not such a republic. The Soviet Union, however, will create a Jewish republic in Bira Bidjan and grant it full membership in the Union on lines similar to those of the other national republics,” Mr. Smidovitch stated, adding that the territory of Bidjan is greater than the area occupied by France, and has a good industrial future.
The expedition of American investigators, sent by the American Jewish organization, Icor, to survey the region, left Moscow today for Bidjan. Before its departure, the delegation, headed by Dr. Franklin Harris, visited the Jewish colonies in Crimea.
Two Jewish regions, administrative units comprising Jewish settlements in the Ukraine, will be formed officially during October. The Krivoy Rog regional Soviet yesterday adopted a resolution to proclaim the third Jewish region in that district on October 3rd. The Comzet, governmental department for settling Jews on the land, has allotted 25,000 roubles for the construction of administrative offices in the district, which will embrace all Jewish colonies founded by the Agro-Joint and the Jewish Colonization Association, near Krivoy Rog.
The new Zlatopol Jewish region will be opened officially on October 1 instead of at the end of August as originally scheduled because the government buildings, now under construction, have not been completed.
Eddie Cantor, recently elected president of the National Variety Artists, has consented to serve as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. Not only will he be qualified to serve in commercial disputes, but he will also be called upon to arbitrate differences between actors and theatrical managers brought before the association. Mr. Cantor will be chairman of the arbitral boards of the theatrical and national panels.
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.
