Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-31
KISCHINEFF PETITION
WITH $4,000 SIGNATURES HAND
ED TO SECRETARY HAY.
Letter of President Leo N. Levi Ex-
presses Gratitude of Jews for Presi-
dents Sympathy and Action.

The last chapter in the history OF the
agitation. for the present at least. result
ing from the Kischineff massacre was writ
ten this morning when Simon WOLF OF TINS
city, representing the executive commit
tee Of the B'nai Birth. called by appoint
ment at the State Department and present
ed to Secretary Hay the petition which mas
been in circulation throughout the United
States for several months past, directed
to the car and which the Russian govern
ment declined to receive.
The text of the petition itself has already
been published, and attached to 1T, when
presented today, were the signatures OF oi
$1,000 representative Americans OF al!
creeds. The whole was handsomely bound
together and inclosed in a magnificent ma
hogany casket about two by three feet
square. On the cover was silver plate
bearing this inscription:
Petition to the Emperor OF Russia by
citizens Of the United States of America In
relation to the massacre of Jews at kisch-
ineff, Bessarabia, 1903. Deposited for
transmission by the Independent order OF
B'nai Birth"
Immediately upon receiving the casket
Secretary Hay caused 1t to be forwarded
to the White House for the inspection OF
President Roosevelt. 1t was then returned
to the State Department and placed in the
custody of Andrew Allen, chief of the bu-
reau Of rolls and library, and it will be
permanently retained for the benefit Of the
historian.
Mr.. Lewis Letter.
Mr., Wolf delivered the following letter,
from Leo N. Levi of New York to Secretary
Hay, with the petition:
"Sir: On July IA, 1908, by direction OF the
President, the loose sheets of the so-called
Kischinef petition were delivered to him.
to be transmitted to st. Petersburg or
placed among the archives of our own
State Department. as subsequent develop
ments might determine. At the same time
the President intrusted to the executive
committee of the Independent Order Of
B'nai Birth the custody of the loose sheets,
with permission to have them bound in q
suitable volume. The committee has per-
formed this duty thus imposed, and which
1t welcomed as an honorable privilege. The
volume will be delivered to you. along with
this communication, by Simon Wolf, a
member of the committee
For all time to come it will testify to
the love Of justice, humanity and liberty
which moved the President to give it coun-
tenance and Its signers to father it. 1t
stands as the verdict OF the whole people
condemning the denial of religious liberty,
and upholding the President on asserting
that condemnation. If it be without prece-
dent it is the more precious for becoming
one. Civilization made distinct and nota-
bic advance when a great nation of eighty
millions OF people. speaking not only
through it's official head, but also through
it's most representative citizens in their in
dividual capacities, served notice on the
world that those who are made to suffer
martyrdom for conscience's sake wherever
they may abide, have friends and sympa-
thizers in this country. Such an example
will not be lost. The oppressor will here
after pause before he strikes and the vic
tim will be saved from utter despair by the
consciousness that the voice of humanity
will be raised in his behalf.
I'm this view, the services rendered by the
President. his advisors and the people gem
orally, are not to be measured by the bene-
fits conferred upon the Jews alone This is
one Of the oft-recurring cases in which the
Jews. by their misfortunes, have led the
world to a Just appreciation of the truth Of
which they are devoted missionaries.
I'm every part of the world where Jews
are to be found there Is THANKSGIVING be-
cause the President and you and the entire
American people have championed the
cause OF the oppressed. Everywhere adnaira-
ton has been excited. and IN this country
the people are proud OF the courageous hu-
manity which has been displayed.
In the great gratitude. admiration and