Parliamentary action was completed today on the Government’s bill introducing drastic restrictions on the right of Hungary1s approximately 600,000 Jews to earn a living, vote, hold public office and participate in the nation’s cultural life.
The Lower House approved the bill by an unrecorded rising vote, which was announced by the clerk as “a large majority.” The bill, as finally amended by a Joint committee, was approved by the Upper House on Monday. The measure was introduced on Dec.23 by the Government of Premier Bela Imredy, who later resigned when it was revealed that he was of part-Jewish origin, and sponsorship of the bill was taken over by the present regime of Premier Paul Teleki
Replacing the present “Jew law” which restricts Jews to a general ratio of 20 per cent in most economic fields, the new measure limits Jews to 6 per cent in professions and cultural pursuits, bars them altogether from responsible positions in the press, theater. cinema and civil service posts and limits them to 12 per cent in private enterprises.
In the political field, Jews are permitted to vote only 30 days after Parliamentary and municipal elections, Jewish deputies in the Lower House are limited to 6 per cent of the total and they are barred from the Upper In-house entirely. Foreshadowing a revision of Jewish citizenships, the law empowers the Minister of Interior to deprive of Hungarian citizenship all persons naturalized after July 1, 1914,and authorizes the Government to regulate the question of Jewish emigration and transfer of Jewish capital from the country
Amendments adopted at the behest of the Upper House provide for (1) establishment of a special body to grant Jews exemptions from the operation of the law when in the nation’s interest, (2) excludes from, the category of “Jews” all persons baptized before Aug. 1, 1919, whose parents were born in Hungary prior to 1849, and persons born Christians whose parents were baptized before Jan. 1, 1919. Such persons remain subject, how I ever, to various other restrictions.
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.
