THE LOCATION OF THE DIAMOND-CUTTING INDUSTRY.

A primary factor in the initial establishment of the diamond trade in the Netherlands and Belgium was the religious toleration accorded Jews there from the fifteenth century onward. The policies of De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd., in the twentieth century, have controlled the sale of eighty percent of the world's uncut diamonds, thereby affecting the economic health of diamond centers everywhere The growth of the diamond industry in Israel has resulted from government planning rather than from the traditional dominance of Jews in the diamond trade. Low labor costs in Israel and India might cause the industry to shift eastward, but automation of gem-polishing, plus laboratory production of gem-quality diamonds in Europe and the United States will affect such a shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]