Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-19
NEW TALES.
ASSARKHADON, KING OF AS
SYRIA.
II.
WORK, DEATH AND SICK
NESS.
THE THREE QUESTIONS.
Translated by Louise and Aylmer
Maude.
Written and Translated for the
Benefit of the Jews Empower
ished by Riots in Kish-
ineff and Gomel.
INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION.
Terrible outbreaks of antiJewish feel
ing more or less connived at by the
thorities, have led to many Jews being
killed and many more being left desti-
tute. first at Kishinef and later on at Co
mel, during the present year.
The three tales allegorics. or legends
included in this publication. have been
contributed by Tolstoy for the benefit of
the sufferers. They were intended, in the
first place. for publication in n miscel
lany-the publication of which was pro-
jccted for the benefit of the Jewish suf-
ferers by talented Jewish writer, S. n.
Rabinovitch. better known in Russia
under his pseudonym of Schalem Mel
chem. In order however, to obtain as
much money possible it was subse-
quently arranged to publish them stimuli
taneously in several languages.
The following letters from Tolstoy to S
N. Rabinovitch tell their own tale:
The terrible crime committed in Kish-
inef has astonished and panied me.
have in part expressed my attitude TO
this shameful business in letter adj
dressed to a Jewish acquaintance of mfne
of which 1 incl0se a copy. A few days
ago we sent from Moscow q collective
letter to the mayor of Kishinef, express
ing our feeling about this terrible affair
Il shall be very glad TO contribute to
your Jewish Miscellany. and I will try to
write something suitable to the circum-
stances.
Unfortunately. what 1 most wish to
say. namely that the suilt-not only of
the Kishinef horrors, but of all the dis
cord apparent in u certain small part
mot the peasants) of the Russian people
lies solely with the government But
that Is just what l may not say in any
publication printed in Russia.
1asnaya Polyana. May, o.s., 1908"
The following Is the letter to a Jewish
friend referred to in the preceding:
Il have received your letter. and I receive
many such. The writers all-Iike you-de-
mand of me the expression of opinion
about the kishinef events. But think that
some misunderstanding underlies these APP
peals. 1t Is thought that my voice carries
weight and a demand is therefore made
that l should express my opinion about Oc-
currences so important and having such
complex causes g this kish!nef crime. The
mistake lies in expecting of me the activity
of a publicist. whereas l am a man entirely
occupied with one very definite question
having nothing in common with current
eVents-nameIy. the question of religion and
It's application to life. To demand of me a
public expression of opinion on contempora-
~ events is as untustifiable as TO demand
II OF any more or less well-knoWn specialist.
may, and DO, utilize some event of the day
10 illustrate a thought | may be dealing
with. but to express opinion as a public:st
on all contemporary events-even though
they be very important-would be imposs,-
bic for me, even if | considered it desirable
10 DO so. Were | to attempt 1t I should
have to express immature and common
place opinions. and TO repeat what others
have already said then. obviously the i'm
portance people attribute to any opinions
and that makes them direct their demands
TO me-WOuld not exist.
AS to the Jews and the terrible LCjcbfDaf
events-my relation to them must. I think
be apparent to all who are interested in my
view of life.
My relation to the Jews cannot he other
than as toward brothers, whom l love-not
because they are Jews, but because they are
all sons of one Father-God; and this love
needs no effort on my part. for l have met
and acquainted with very excellent
members of the Jewish race.
My attitude toward the Kishinef crime.
Also is naturally defined by my religions
outlook on life. Even before | had hea r6
all the terrible details I afterward learned
from the first mention in the newspapers-I
understood the horror of what had happen
ed and experienced depressing and mixed
feeling OF pity for the innocent victims of
the mobs brutaiity-consterna at srcb
brutality on the part of people supposed to
be Christians feeling Of aversion and
loathing toward the so-called educated
people who melted the crowd and synlpa-
thized with its conduct, ard. above all of
horror of the real cuiprit in the whole mat
which stupetiCs the people and axes fan
atlcs Of them. and It's robher-band of Off
Gals The Kishiuef crime is simply direct
consequence of the propaganda Of lies and
violence that * carried on with such inten-
sity and such insistence by The Russian
government.
Tile attitude Of the government, TO this
event is only a fresh proof of its coarse
egotisin, which does not stop at any cruel
ties when depressing: a movement it thinks
dangerous: and OF its compiete Indifference
comparable To the Indifference of the
Turkish government to the Armenian mas
sacresl To tie most terrible cruelties so
long as its own interests are not involved
THAT is all could say about the Kishinef
affair. and have said it all long ago
IF you ask me further. How ! think the
Jews should act? my reply is again one
which flows naturally from that Christian
teaching which Try to understand and to
follow.
'"The Jews. like all men, need but one
thing for their welfare-to follow in life. to
the greatest extent possible, the universal
rule Of doing 10 others YOU wish them to
do to you; and to resist the government,
not by violence Chat method should be
abandoned to the governmenD. but by a
good life, excluding not only all violence
toward ones netghhor. but all participation
I'm violence and all utilization for ones own
advantage of the Organs of violence insti-
tuted by the government.
That is all--and IL is very old and well
known-that / have to say about the terri
bic Kishinef occurrences.
"Yasnaya Polyana, 81 April o. $. 1908
s--
The following is again letter 20 the
editor Of the Mis- eellany:
II send you Three Tales to be trans
lated into Judisch and printed in the Jew
fish Miscellany You are publishing TO aid the
Jews who suffered in kishinef
II shall be very pleased If these tales at
all help the success of that publication.
with much respect, and every wish to
aid.
"YasEaya Polyana, 20 August, o.s 1903 =
Tie following Is part of another letter
/, from Tolstoy 10 the same editor:
II am, of course, very pleased that non
Jewish editions should IN any degree In
crease the help obtainable for the sufferers
But / cannot depart from the rule 1 have
laid down for myself. once for all-namely
to let everybody freely print what they like