Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-29
NOT HEBREWS ALONE.
German Residents of Russia Are
Forced to Leave by Hundreds.
THEIR RELIGION PROSECUTED.
What an American Commissioner Of Immi-
grafton Says of 1t.
THE, COMING REPORT IS A MEATY ONE

New YORK, Oct. 2S-Among the passen.
gers on board the Majestic, which arrived
here to-day, was DIR. Walter Kempster,
! special Immigrant Commissioner, who has
made an exhaustive investigation of the
Russian phase of the subject Concerning
his trip and its results, DR.. Kempster said
he could say nothing until the official report
was made.
81 will speak on one subject, however,
said he. cit is with reference to the Ger
mans who are being expelled from Russia
in great numbers. This is being done in
spite of the fact that there has been no
ukase issued ordering the expulsions of Ger
mans. They are being forced out by sys-
TEN which people in this country cannot
understand A great many Germans live in
the neighborhood of Odessa and Kief They
have lived there for the past 100 years. 1t
is one of the best farming communities in
Russia.
Hitherto these small villages have been
petty affairs of the communities have been
| allowed to pass through the hands Of these
presidents without objection.
PETTY PERSECUTION BEGINS.
They have been permitted to do this un-
til last autumn. After the election an
order was issued that hereafter all persons
having been elected to such positions
should, before pro ceeding to enter on their
Office, 'Kiss the Russian Christ" All
these Germans, being Roman Catholics,
have naturally declined to do this, hence
they are being debarred from exercising
their time-honored functions because they
refuse to enter the Greek Church.
Another illustration of persecution Is
this: These communities have always been
permitted to build their own churches and
repair them. About the time the first order
was issued another came out which required
the Germans to submit ali plans of new
buildings and repairs or alterations in old
first to the Holy Synod, which in these
communities is represented by the priest Of
the Russian Greek Church, for approval.
PREVENTING PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
s'The plans are submitted to the Holy
Synod. If it is the intention to build
church or anything costing 5000 or $500 the
Synod recommends that building be erect
ed costing $4,000 or S3,0OO If repairs to
the extent of $100 are required the estimates
are required to reach 81, 900. This, of course,
puts an effectual stop to anything like pub
llc improvements.
"Then here is another point. The Ger
mans living in Russia have always taught
their children in the Russian language. but
part of the curriculum has been devoted,
an hour day, to the German language.
There are no public schools in Russia may
mention, by the way. An order has now
been issued that hereafter no Germans shall
be taught in the schools. This is the method
of persecution. 1t is the same method by
which the persecution of the Hebrews COM
menceG. 1t is nothing more than religious
persecution.
''The consequence is, the Germans who
are living wretchedly here are now selling
out their small buildings at any price and
leaving Russia by the hundreds Many are
going to the Argentine Republic while
others are coming here. It is most desir-'
able class of immigration, these prosecuted
Germans. They are all brawny farmers,
hard-fsted men. 1 saw great many of
them and stayed with them
Speaking of the forthcoming report of the
Immigration Committee, DR.. Kempster
said: ''When our report is published, it will
be text for every Newspaper, text for
every pulpit in the land. 1t will contain
material cannot tell you anything about. "