Sayings of Tchicherin

Georges Tchicherin, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Affairs, said in an optimistic moment that Great Britain, Italy and perhaps the U. S. will shortly recognize Soviet Russia. "France," said he, "is the only big nation remaining hostile."

Tchicherin had another plan: the creation of a Jewish Homeland in Russia to replace the one in Palestine, "which had not proved attractive to the Jewish masses." Said the Foreign Commissar: "I am favoring the plan because our cooperative system and our State monopolization of trade and industry have hit the middlemen hard. Many Jews who were traders are deprived of their livelihood. The pre-War heavy emigration to America has been interrupted. The only solution for Jews who were formerly traders is to take up agricultural pursuits.

"The Soviet Government has large tracts of fertile and almost uninhabited land suited to Jewish settlers.

"The Tsar's Government forbade the Jews to own land or live outside of cities. The Soviet Government will stimulate and aid the Jews to become agriculturists. The Soviet Government is anxious to promote the cultured development of all its people."