A bill to ban slaughter of animals according to the Jewish ritual was brought before a Sejm plenary session today and began to go through the legislative mill. It will be three or four weeks before a vote is taken.
The Jews of Poland, meanwhile, rallied to oppose the proposal. Rabbinical organizations and Jewish communities appointed delegations to intervene with Government officials with the plea that the bill is unconstitutional.
The Speaker of the Sejm, who announced introduction of the bill, has the power to withdraw it if he considers it unconstitutional. It is uncertain whether he will take this action.
The proposed law provides for compulsory stunning of animals before slaughter, which contravenes the orthodox Jewish code. It would impose jail sentences not exceeding three months and 3,000-zloty maximum fines for violation. Administrative authorities would be entrusted with the job of enforcing the law. It would go into effect January 1, 1937.
Jewish organizations hold that the bill violates Article 111 of the Polish constitution, which permits all citizens to exercise the rituals and precepts of their religion.
The bill is sponsored by Deputy Janina Prystor, wife of Colonel Alexander Prystor, president of the Senate and former Premier. It is said to have the support of 100 deputies. The bill is regarded as having a good chance of passage.
The Board and Council of the Jewish Community joined with the rabbinate today in adopting a resolution condemning the proposal as unconstitutional.
A. Mazur, president of the Warsaw Jewish Community, assailed the bill as an attack on the Jewish religion, intending to deprive the Jews of livelihood and to oppress them morally.”
Meanwhile, it was reported here that anti-Semites had attacked Jewish traders in the town of Zagorow, pillaging Jewish-owned stalls in the market place and breaking windows of Jewish houses. Police arrested several of them.
In Gostin, Posen, anti-Semites resisting police efforts to halt excesses beat five policemen and one gendarme. Four policemen were wounded in anti-Jewish disorders in the town of Prystajn.
In Warsaw, the police today searched thoroughly the headquarters of the Youth Department of the anti-Semitic National Democratic Party.
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