I have the honor to refer to despatch No. 866, dated December 27,
1938, which in the last paragraph on page 2 mentions the growing tendency among
certain politicians to enact anti-Jewish
legislation, and to report that this movement is gaining momentum. In fact, at the beginning of the present budget
session of the Parliament early in
December, Deputy Stoch informed the
press that he had worked out a concrete proposal embodying anti-Jewish
legislation which he wished to present. […]
Deputy Stoch project is based not so
much on racial but on religious principles and proposes the extension of only temporary
citizenship
[sic] to all professed Jews,
including even those who changed their religion as far back as 1918. Under his project these
temporary citizens
would lose:
Their political rights, Employment in
public service institutions and schools, with the exception of Jewish private
schools, Title to military
service, Right to handle public
service supplies, Right to perform licensed professions, Right to publish and
collaborate in Polish
press
organs, Right to own and operate advertising offices.
Furthermore the bill provides that pensions and insurance fees paid up to date by these citizens would be returned to them. Full
citizenship rights would be enjoyed only by Jews
converted
to Christianity before the restoration of Poland’s
independence, as well as
Jews having special merits because of their service during
the war or because of their outstanding work for Poland. […]
As was pointed out in my despatch No. 560 of January 24,
1938 (Anti-Jewish Legislation), it is still true, as was then the case,
that the Polish
Government feels that the time is not ripe yet for the enactment of anti-Jewish
legislation as such. However, the significant point in this report is that the
tendency and trend of public opinion is in that direction. In the meantime the Government
still endeavors to side-step the main issue, but working through OZON, continues its policy
of guarded discrimination, limiting Jewish
activity wherever possible without direct racial
reference. Temporizing in this manner, the Government hopes to avoid hostile foreign
censure, placate anti-Jewish circles here, and not to arouse Jewish apprehension or
enmity. The Government is under no illusion, however, but that eventually this
issue will have to be faced squarely.