A general mobilization of the entire population in the Sharon District of Palestine was proclaimed today voluntarily to assist with the work in the Jewish colonies and on the orange groves, in view of the shortage of labor and a dearth of farm hands.
All other activity, including work on the public roads, was abandoned today when every available worker was mobilized to pick the oranges in the plantations. This is the severest shortage of labor that Palestine has ever witnessed.
CALL ON WAUCHOPE
A delegation of Jewish farmers, headed by Baruch Ostrovsky, American representative of the orange groves owned by Americans in the Sharon District, appeared today before Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, High Commissioner of Palestine, and pleaded for a greater immigration of Jewish labor.
A similar delegation from the Agudath Israel, the extreme orthodox Jewish party, also appeared before the High Commissioner. Both delegations pointed out to Col. Wauchope that if immigration remained restricted then Palestine would face an economic catastrophe.
PROMISES ADVANCE VISAS
Discussing with Mr. Ostrovsky the problem of immigration, the High Commissioner promised to assign in advance a part of the immigration certificates which are to be issued under the new labor schedule for the forthcoming six months. He refused however, to consider the general issuance of a larger number of immigration visas.
Col. Wauchope also promised to consider Mr. Ostrovsky’s suggestion that the special tax which is to be levied upon orange groves will commence from the ninth year of the planting of the grove instead of the sixth.
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.
