Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-16
THE JEWS IN RUSSIA
Yesterdays Interview at the
White House.
TWO LINES OF ACTION
STEPS PROPOSED TO THE ADMIN
ISTRATIoN.
Replies by the President and the Sec
rotary of State to the Views
Presented.
TWO LINES OF ACTION

on the Kischineff affair. The statement
consisted of a memorandum submitted by
the B'nai b rth on the massacre In APRIL
a tentative draft of petition to the czar
which 1t was desired this government shouid
unofficially or semi officially assist In deilV-
ering to the car. and procuring reply
thereto and copies of the replies of Secre-
tary Hay and President Roosevelt to his
callers.
The memorandum says the facts concern
ing the kischinef massacre, as omclaiy
reported blythe Russian government, nave
appalled and Mortified not only the Jews in
Russia and elsewhere, but the whole Amerl-
can people, who want something done, and
whose hostility to Russia If nothing Is done
will become intensified and fixed. The Jews,
II saws likewise are fearful of the future.
1t is recognized that the situation plainly
is different from that in Rouman1a, mas
much as in Russia the Jews are neelns
from mobS operating in conuaVentloh ol
Russian law, while in Roumania 1t is the
laws that make it unable for them TO lve
there. Denunciation of the Jews by Rus-
sian diplomats ii says, cannot placate the
public as a half million Russian Jews have
come here during the past twenty-Shree
years, and have shown they e~thritty,
energetic, intelligent and ambitious, ana
daily are growing more influential ana pop
ular They are constant propagandiSts
against Russia, and the memorandum says
the result is to undermine the traditional
amity between Russia and the united
States 1t is declared to be desirable to end
this state of things without breach of diplo-
matte etiquette or embarrassment TO our
government and one or both of the sub
Joined methods therefore were submitted
for consideration.
"A. A petition to the car. to which the
B'nai Birth will get the signatures Of the
leading men in the various states. our
government to assist unofficially or Selnl-
officially in securing the delivery of this Pc
tition to the car, and In procuring q 1aVor-
able reply thereto, either by a direct com
munication or some other form of public
expression. The manner In which the gov
eminent can render such assistance is not
suggested for obvious reasons but the gov
ernments interest in the plan should be
made known.
"B Using the Kischineff and other recent
incidents of more or less similar nature as
grounds, official invitation by the United
States, addressed to all the powers, to an
international conference. to consider perse-
cutions and expressions growing out of ra-
cial and religious pre- JUDGES and hatred
and to protect civilization and interna tional
concord from the evil effects of such perse-
BUTTONS and expressions
The Petition to the Gar
The tentative draft of the petition to the
car which accompanied the memorandum
called attention to the cruel outrages per-
petrated on the Jews at Kischincff until
his majestys special and personal direc-
tons" made the local authorities suppress
the rioting. 1t declared that the victims
Were Jews assaulted because of race and
religious prejudices and in violation of Rus
sian laws 1t declared local officials derelict
in the performance of their duty and that
millions of Jews in Russia lived in con-
slant dread of fresh outbreaks. 1t there
fore petitioned that by a gracious ami
convincing expression your majesty Will
proclaim. not only for the government Of
your own subjects but also for the guild
N "a hat Oh q
suffer in person, property. liberty, honor or
life. because of his religious belief: that
the humblest subject o. citizen may worship
according to the dictates. of his own con
science. and that government. whatever its
form or agencies must safeguard these
rights and immunities by the exercise OF
all Its powers.
Far removed from your majesty's do
minions. living under different conditions
and owing allegiance to another govern
ment, your petitioners yet venture in the
name of civilization, to plead for religious
liberty and tolerance; to plead that he
who led his own people and all others to
the shrine of peace Will add new luster to
his reign and fame by leading a new move
ment that shall commit the whole world
In opposition to religious prosecutions"
Secretary Hays Reply.
In reply to Mr. Levi, who submitted the
memorandum, Secretary Hay said:
mo person of ordinary humanity can
have heard without deep emotion the story
OF the cruel outrages inflicted upon the
Jews of Kischneff. These lamentab l:,
events have caused the profoundest i'm
preston throughout the world but most
especially in this country. whore there are
so many of your corelGionists who form
such a desirable element of our population
In Industry, thrift, public spirit and COM
mercial morality. Nobody can ever make
the Americans think i'll of the Jews as a
class as a race-we know them too we'll
In the painful crisis through which We are
now passing the Jews of the United States
have given evidence of the highest qualities
generosity, love OF justice and power of
self-restraint.
The government of the United States
must exhibit the same qualities. / know
you do not doubt the sentiments of the
President. No one hates more theoretically
than he does such acts of cruelty and in1us-
tce as those we deplore. But he must
carefully consider all the circumstances ana
then decide whether any official action ga n
be taken in addition to the impressive and
most effective expressions of public opin-
ion In TINS country during the last month
You VIII nave observed that no civilized
government In the world has yet taken Of
ficial action-this consideration alone would
bid us to proceed with care. The Emperor
OF Russia Is entitled to our respect, not
merely as the ruler of a great and friendly
nation, but as man whose personal char
acter is even more elevated than his exalt-
ed station. We should not be justified in
assuming that this enlightened sovereign,
VINO has given so many proofs of his de-
votion to peace and religious liberation.
has not done and is not doing all that lies
In his power 10 put stop to these atroci-
ties, to punish the guilty, whether they be-
long 10 the ignorant populace or to high
official circles and to prevent the recur-
renee OF the outrages which have so shock
&c humanity. In fact. all We know of the
state or things in Russia tends to Justify
the hope that even out of the present terri
bic situation some good results NAV come.
that He who watches over Israel does NOT
slumber, and that the wrath of man now
as so often In the past. shall be made to
praise Him"
The Presidents Remarks.
The call on the President at the White
House followed, and there President Roose-
veit' after the memorandum was laid be-
fore him, said
Mr.. Chairman: need not dwell upon a
fact so patent as the WIDESPREAD indigna.