A serious crisis because of a shortage of food and forage now prevails among the Jewish pioneers in Bira-Bidjan, the Far Eastern region where colonization work was sponsored by the Ozet, the Jewish society for settlement on the land.
The agronomist, Bruk, who returned to Moscow today after a two months visit to Bidjan, reported this development, stating that never before has the Far Eastern region suffered such a lack of bread. This condition is due to the floods of last year.
The Jewish settlers, he reported are noving toward the railway stations where they have a greater opportunity or earning a living as artisans, while the non-Jewish settlers leave their rolonies to proceed to Siberia. On April 15, the Jewish settlers started work in the fields, but were compelled to discontinue because of the recurring frosts. The launching of rice plantation projects has proven to be impossible this year. The project would require an investment of 130,000 roubles, which the Comzet, governmental land settlement department, cannot at present provide. The returning agronomist praised the work of the American icon and especially its effort to provide the workers with tractors and machinery.
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.
