Jews In Danzig

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 22 December 1938, Page 2

Jews In Danzig

Notes on the News

It Is reported that Jew* are being asked to leave Danzig. Anti-Semitism in Danzig is no new thing. For the past two or three years frequent protests have been made by Jewish leaders throughout the world to the campaign against Jews in the Free City of Danzig.

In November, 1937, the Executive Committee of the World Jewish Congress, representing 7,000000 Jews, protested at the treatment of Jews in Danzig. The committee expressed Indignation that the League of Nation* apparently took no notice of the antiSemitic campaign. The committee recalled that throughout 1937 it had persistently drawn the attention of the League of Nations to the attacks on the Jewish population, but without relief being secured. The attacks were a violation of the constitution guaranteed by the League. In a speech on October 1, 1937, Herr Foerster, the National Socialist leader In Danzig, announced the launching of a campaign to reduce the Jewish population of Danzig to the same state as the Jewish population of Germany. Since that time a number of antiSemitic measures have been Introduced, Including the picketing of Jewish shops and the prohibition ojf Aryans buying In such shops. There were also attack* on shops, such as window-smashing, and other excesses which were described as being in the nature of • pogrom. Memel Convention

By the terms of the Convention of 1924, which settled the status of Memel territory, the Governments of Great Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, have provided for the autonomy of the territory so as to preserve “the traditional rights and culture of its inhabitants."

While sovereignty over the territory is Lithuanian, as shown for example, by the fact that the President of Lithuania appoints the Governor of Memel Territory, at the same time ample provisions are made for the full competence of the local authorities in legislative, judicial, administrative, and financial matters. Full provision is made for equality of rights of citizenship ns between inhabitant* of Memel Territory and Lithuania, who may pass from one to the other.

The port of Memel is declared • port of international concern. The expenses for the maintenanee and development of the port and the public waterways are provided by the Lithuanian Government, with contribution* from Memel Territory. A harbour board administers the port. It eoti*i«f* of three persons—one Lithuanian appointee. one representative from the Memel Territory, and one member from the League of Nations.