The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-10-04
SECRETARY HAY AND THE JEWS.

SECRETARY HAY AND THE JEWS.
We have no fault to find with John
Hay, the Secretary of State, for adj
dressing note to the European pow
ers in the interest of the prosecuted
Jews of the Balkans. On the contrary,
we cheerfully and enthusiastically en-
dorse his action. We believe that all
men, irrespective of creed, are entitled
to life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness, not only in the land of their
birth but everywhere else they make
their home and become law-abiding
citizens
What prompted John Hay to inter-
cede in their behalf is immateral to
us. He may have been prompted by
philanthropic motives or urged by the
influential Jews of New York and Lon
don to demand justice for their OPP
pressed brethren in Roumania, but in
either case he has done good thing
and we give him credit for it.
According to the Treaty of Berlin.
when Roumania was recognized indie
pendent of the suzerainty of Turkey
by the powers. that country agreed
that Gin Roumania The difference of
religious creeds and confessions shall
not be alleged against any person as
Il ground for exclusion or incapacity
in matters relating to the enjoyment
of civil and political rights. admission
to public employments. functions and
llonors OF the exercise of the various
professions and industries, as well as
guaranteeing that all foreigners shall
be treated, without distinction of
creed, on footing of equality"
Roumania has failed to keep her
promise with the Jews. AS in Ireland
during the penal laws of England, and
until 1929, when Catholic emancipa-
ton was won by O'Connell, the Jews
of Roumania are regarded as aliens
and outcasts by the government. They
are not admitted to the practice of
law like the Irish during the penal
days, and only one out of every thous-
and of them has the right of citizen
ship. Before Jew can be natural
lied in Roumania the consent of par
lament must be obtained. They are
debarred from the public schools since
1898 on the ground that they are for
eigners in the country and the univer-
stiles which are free to Roumanians
charge the Jewish students $50 francs
year. They are not eligible to mil
itary academies, though admitted to
the army as aliens. Under these cir
cumstances it is right and proper that
John Hay should demand redress of
their grievances, especially as great
number Of them are coming to the
United States to seek refuge from per-
secution. This present year many of
them were denied admission to our
shores because they were destitute and
diseased, and they We're returned to
Roumania to prevent their becoming
charge upon American institutions.
Now that the United States is a
world power and is interfering hu-
namely in the affairs of Europe and
Asia, we hope that John Hay, as Sec
rotary of State, will continue to de-
mand justice for Christians as we'll as
Jews. Suppose Irish-Americans ask
Mr.. Hay to use his influence with his
mother country" in behalf of the af
flicted people of Connaught and other
sections of Ireland who are deprived
of their rights under the British Con-
stitution in violation of the Act of
Union between Great Britain and Ire
land passed in the year 1900. Coey-
cion laws exist in Ireland at the pres
ent time which are shame to civil
ization. The capital of Ireland is un-
der martial law, despite the fact that
it is free from crime. The best men
of Ireland are arbitrarily arrested and
cast into prison without trial by a
jury of their peers. Freedom of speech
and freedom of the press are denied
and the liberties of the people are
ruthlessly trampled under foot by the
British government.
Why does not Mr.. Hay call upon
the European powers to stop English
persecution in Ireland? Why did he
not call upon them to stop England
from destroying the two South Afri-
can republics? If he starts out as
the friend of liberty for the Jews, why
not sympathize with the Beers and the
Irish? The same London papers that
bespatter him with praise for his inter-
ference in Roumanian affairs would
stigmatize him as an officious inter-
meddler had he spoken kind word
for British victims of oppression in
Ireland and South Africa. The Lon
don press. which ia controlled by the