A declaration by Jewish Communist political, social, and cultural organizations on the establishment of the Soviet autonomous Jewish region of Biro-Bidjan.

‘Jewish Autonomy in Biro-Bidjan’ from The Daily Worker. Vol. 11 No. 128. May 29, 1934.

Decision Has Tremendous Historic Significance

Declaration of Representatives of Workers Mass Organizations

TO THE JEWISH MASSES IN AMERICA:

On the 7th of May, the Soviet Government passed a historic decision by which Biro-Bidjan becomes a Jewish autonomous region. This decision will stand out in history as the best proof that in the country where the workers and peasants rule, there was not only completely eradicated every form of national oppression, but there was realized a complete solution of the problem of national minorities, and a healthy life is being secured for the fraternity of liberated nations amongst which the Jews were now given the opportunity to build their autonomy in Biro-Bidjan.

Brothers and Sisters: Just try and recall that but a short while ago a little more than 17 years ago a Jew under the Czar was subjected to oppression and degradation and he was in constant fear of pogroms. Bear in mind that at present one capitalist country after another is witnessing the rise of Fascism and Anti-Semitism. In this country too, we stand face to face with the spread of Fascism. There are being revived the medieval accusations hurled at the Jews that they practice ritual murders.

At the time of this horrible increase of anti-Semitism in all the capitalist countries of the world, a totally different condition prevails in the Soviet Union. There anti-Semitism is classed as a serious crime; pogroms or any form of instigations toward national hatreds are impossible. The Jews, as well as all the other national minorities enjoy there complete emancipation. Hundreds of thousands of Jews have been settled on the land in White Russia, the Ukraine and Crimea. Hundreds of thousands of Jews are gainfully employed in the vast network of Soviet industrial establishments and are employed in the various governmental institutions.

In the light of this condition, the historic decision of the Soviet Government in relation to Biro-Bidjan as a Jewish autonomous region becomes even more significant. Ten thousand Jewish toilers are at present engaged in active pioneering in Biro-Bidjan. 10,000 more will be settled in the course of this year. Thanks to the present decision of the Soviet Government the collectives, the various industrial undertakings and the cultural institutions will gain new forces. The work will proceed with even greater vigor and the Jew who but yesterday had no firm foundation under his feet will not fail to utilize the opportunity to become a productive toiler in Biro-Bidjan, where he will have his own self-government. Pioneering work will proceed with even a greater pace than hitherto.

Jewish masses in America, bear in mind that the historic decision of the Soviet Government is totally different from the notorious Balfour declaration about a “Jewish Homeland” in Palestine. That declaration turned out to be nothing more than a soap bubble. It was a war maneuver on the part of the imperialist government of England which deceived both Jew and Arab in order to keep both of them chained to its imperialist chariot.

Do not forget that the Zionists allied themselves with British imperialists. Jewish legions were organized in support of British imperialism and the lives of thousands of Jewish young men were sacrificed. The object of Zionism is to wrest the land from the Arabs and to squeeze the Arabs out of industrial employment, this must inevitably lead to war between the Jew and the Arab; this spells the growth of Fascism and Chauvinism in Palestine.

In Biro-Bidjan there is no need of wresting the land from anyone. There is no room in Biro-Bidjan for a despicable chauvinist campaign–the land is vast, its resources are abundant and thanks to the generous assistance of the Soviet Government, and thanks to the co-operation of all the nationalities of the Soviet Union, Biro-Bidjan will be built as a Jewish autonomous territory. This is wherein lies the significance of the historic decision of the Soviet Government of May 7th, 1934. This decision does not aim to deceive anyone. It is not a decision purporting any national segregation, it is a firm determination to secure the best condition for a healthful life for the Jewish masses. A decision which is a logical outcome of the Leninist national policy of the Soviet Government.

We, the undersigned organizations convened at the call of the National Executive of the Icor, resolve as follows:

1) We solemnly greet the historic decision of the Soviet Government granting Biro-Bidjan status of a Jewish autonomous region.

We call upon the broadest masses of the Jews in this country to participate in the celebration in connection with this great event.

We call upon the Jewish masses to unite for the defense of the Soviet Union which liberated all its nationalities.

2) We convey our proletarian greetings to the “Komzet” (the Soviet Government Organization to settle the Jews on the land) and to the “Ozet,” the mass organization of the Soviet Union doing the same work.

3) Our heartiest proletarian greetings to the Jewish Pioneers who are building the socialist sector of Biro-Bidjan. Our greetings to all the Jewish toilers in the Soviet Union. Greetings to the family of all the nationalities of the Soviet Union. Our greetings to the U.S.S.R. where slavery, exploitation and national oppression was ended.

4) We undertake to expose the Jewish petty bourgeois press which has been conducting a campaign of vicious calumny against the Soviet Union generally and against Biro-Bidjan in particular. The attitude of this press to the latest decision of the Soviet Union in relation to Biro-Bidjan is an additional confirmation of the bias, maliciousness and hatred on the part of these petty bourgeois organs, the “Forward,” “Day” and “Morning Journal,” that froth at the mouth whenever they speak about anything connected with the Soviet Union.

5) We greet the Icor, the organization engaged in enlightening the Jewish masses in America about the Soviet Union generally and about the Soviet solution of the national problem particularly. We pledge ourselves to give the Icor our utmost co-operation in all its activities.

6) We pledge ourselves to mobilize all the members of our Organizations for the participation in the huge celebration which the Icor is organizing in connection with the decision about Biro-Bidjan. We call upon all our members to come to this celebration with their banners, signs and bands in order that this celebration should be of the most imposing character and should fittingly express the significance of the great event of the establishment of a Jewish autonomous region in Biro-Bidjan.

Long live the Soviet Union, long live the Leninist national policy of the U.S.S.R.!

“ICOR” S. Almazov, Secretary.
FRIENDS OF THE SOVIET UNION A. Goldfrank, Secretary.
INTERNATIONAL WORKERS ORDER R. Saltzman, Secretary.
JEWISH BUREAU J. Sultan, Secretary.
JEWISH WORKERS CLUBS H. Castrell, Secretary.
COUNCIL OF WORKING CLASS WOMEN Clara Budin, Secretary.
PROLETPEN A. Rabay, Secretary.
ARTEF M. Friedman, Secretary.
WORKERS MUSICAL ALLIANCE J. Chertkoff, Secretary.
JEWISH WORKERS UNIVERSITY Cherner, Secretary.

The Daily Worker began in 1924 and was published in New York City by the Communist Party US and its predecessor organizations. Among the most long-lasting and important left publications in US history, it had a circulation of 35,000 at its peak. The Daily Worker came from The Ohio Socialist, published by the Left Wing-dominated Socialist Party of Ohio in Cleveland from 1917 to November 1919, when it became became The Toiler, paper of the Communist Labor Party. In December 1921 the above-ground Workers Party of America merged the Toiler with the paper Workers Council to found The Worker, which became The Daily Worker beginning January 13, 1924. National and City (New York and environs) editions exist.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1934/v11-n128-may-29-1934-DW-LOC.pdf