Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-07
PETITION TO RUSSIA
MIR. WOLF TELLS SOME OF THE
-sIoNERs IN THIS CITY
INSTRUMENTATION as to It's Character
Ought Not to Cause Any Interna-
tional Complications.

Mr.. Simon Wolf stated to a reporter for
The Star today that he has already secured
the names Of a number of representative
Washingtonians on the petition to the car
in behalf OF the Russian Jews. Mr.. Wolf
received the petition from Mr.. Leo N. Levi
president Of the B'nai Birth Of New York.
last Friday A similar form of petition has
been sent to every city in the United states,
and when a sufficient number OF signatures
have been received in each city the lists
will be returned to Mr.. Levi at New York
and will then be made up into book form
and transmitted to the State Department
with the request that the lists of names De
sent to the car as whole.
Among the signatures already secured on
the petition sent to Mr.. Wolf are those
OF Mr.. Tanner. who presided over the re-
cent mass meeting; D. /. Murphy, secretary
OF the meeting. and John Joy Edison, treas
urer, besides the names of the presidents
and cashiers Of all the national banks and
trust companies in Washington. The petit
ton Is to be signed by representative men
Of the city and will contain the names OF
the heads of the various organizations oil
business men, the presidents and ministers
OF the Jewish congregations, the Christian
ministers who participated in the recent
mass meeting here, and other Christian
ministers who may be inclined to sign. MT.
Wolf said that only the names of such rep
resentative Jews as have been connected
be appended to the petition.
Nature Of the Petition.
Mr.. Wolf stated that there seems to be a
misapprehension regarding the nature OF
the petition. It has been considered by
some persons as a protest or remonstrance,
and that it Is an interference in the local
affairs of Russia. In reality, said Mr.. Wolf.
it is merely a petition on the part OF the
people of the United States. respectfully
asking the car to grant religious liberty to
his subjects. 1t Is not a Jewish petition. he
said but one representing all the people OF
this country. In support of this statement
may be cited the closing paragraph of the
petition, which is as follows:
Far removed from your majesty's domin-
ions. living under different conditions and
owing allegiance to another government,
your petitioners yet venture, in the name OF
civilization, to plead for religious liberty
and tolerance; to plead that he the czar)
who led his own people and ell others to
the shrine Of peace (at The Iiague) Will
add new luster to his reign. and lame by
leading a new movement that shall COM
nit the whole world in opposition to relig-
ious prosecutions"
In speaking of the opposition to the petit
ton Mr.. Wolf said:
1.-THE Kishnen petition ought not to be
mixed up with any International question
now pending between Russia and the
United States. But with the traditional
Muscovite diplomatic shrewdness, the rep
resentatives of Russia have been sowing
the idea that our government is forcing the
hand Of Russia in the kfshinef matter. In
order to secure the rights which Russia has
heretofore promised in the matter Of Man.
churia- Such statement Is utterly I'M
founded, and under all the circumstances
it is an insult to the intelligence and hui
mainly of the President"