The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27
POLITICS CAUSED MASSACRES,
SAYS j. u. GREENHUT on HIS RE-
TURN FROM RUSSIA.

TURN FROM RUSSIA.
He Writes 70 Secretary Hay That Our Pro-
tests Had Good Enect-Relief Fund
Well Spent-Stories Not Exaggerated.
Mr.. j. B. Greenhut of this city and Peoria.
ILL.,, has just returned from European
trip on which he made a special investiga-
ton Of the Kishnef massacres, and OF the
general conditions under which the Jews
Of Russia live. He embodied the results Of
his observations in report which he sent
to Secretary of State Hay on Sept 81, and
its receipt has been acknowledged. The
report follows;
Hon. John Hoy, Washington, d. c.
MY DEAR MIR. HAY: Last spring, while
home in Peoria, attended a meeting for
the relief Of the sufferers of the KishineR
massacres, and as was on the eve Of sailing
for Europe was asked and promised to in
vestigate and ascertain as far as possible.
all could OF that terrible affair, az well az
the general conditions under which the
Jewish population was forced to exist in
Russia
Being aware of the deep interest taken
by President Roosevelt and your kind self
in the endeavor to moderate az far as poesi-
BILE the sad conditions under which those
poor, downtrodden people are suffering, l
concluded it would be Of interest to you to
learn from source other than regular
official channels, but nevertheless fully a.
authoritative, the true condition Of affairs
in Russia.
Il had the good fortune, during my
travels. to come in contact with many Rus
SLAMS. some Of whom were eye witnesses
Of the late difficulties at Kishineff. and
others who were fully conversant with the
situation all over Russia, among these
latter being Mr. Osiah Chayes, a noted
banker OF Odessa. who is also president Of
the Stock Exchange in that city and bears
the title Of COMMENCEMENT, and through
whose bank most of the relief funds lately
sent to Russia were transmitted. Mr..
Chayes has been in close touch with all the
affairs pertaining to the Jews in Russia.
and with Kishineff in particular, which
place is only about three hours distance
from Odessa.
Another OF these men, Mr.. Moses Klig-
man. may mention as having especially
Impressed me. He is Of the wholesale
firm Of Perlmutter Kigman OF Kishinetf
Mr.. Kligman is treasurer Of the relief COIN
mittee, through which all the relief funds
which were lately forwarded to Kishinef
were distributed. He was therefore, in
a position to give me very graphic and
accurate account Of the two days OF terror
through which the Jewish residents OF
that fated city passed last April, OF which
he also was an eye witness.
There has been so much publicity given
by the newspapers to the horrible details
In connection with the murders, brutal
treatment, pillage, DC. which were per-
petrated on that occasion that ! do not
think 1t necessary to recite anything about
those atrocities at this time, except to say
that the statements of Mr.. Klignan and OF
other men from KishineR fully confirmed
the worst that has been previously reported
on the subject, and it would indeed be
hardened individual that could listen to q
recital by these earnest men and not feel
touch Of sympathy for those Poor. down.
trodden Jews, who are compelled to exc
out such hopeless existence as theirs IN
Russia.
Il was much interested in learning from
these men OF how we'll the funds which
were sent to Kishinen had been distributed
among those who were in most urgent need
Of relief. Mr.. Kigman stated that in all
five hundred thousand dollars) had been
received by his committee, about one
half of which was raised in Russia, one-quar-
ter was received from other parts OF Europe
and one-quarter from America,
Il was very much pleased with Mr.. klig-
man, as he did not appear to have any de-
sire to overdraw anything or make any at :
tempt to urge upon me the nece ssity Of more
funds being sent for their relief. In fact,
he said that he believed the funds already
received would enable his committee to
care for all the urgent cases in their midst.
However, what impressed and gratified me
most was the statement and consensus OF
opinion Of all these men-namely that whilo
the relief funds, which We're so generously
forwarded from all parts of the world,
were indeed welcome, as it enabled them to
give material assistance to those poor crea-
lures whose all had been destroyed, and
| who, II the early assistance had not been
received would have starved to death,
but above all, they said what they priced
| and welcomed most was the noble and heroic
| attitude taken by President Roosevelt and
Secretary Hay in their behalf
"They said, over and over again, that
the moral influence exerted through the
action taken by our administration was OF
| more value to them than all other efforts
| combined, which were put forward for
| their relief, ard that withstanding that
| the position Of our administration could not
be enforced officially. it nevertheless had
| immediate effect on the Russian Govern
| ment and resulted in q change Of the Gov
ernor, and the officials generally In Kshi-
neff, who are said to be less harsh to the
Jewish population than their predecessors
| had been.
AThey also stated that the public SYM
patty shown for their race and the alb
| horrence expressed by the people and the
| press OF the United States against these
| Russians atrocities had the effect of bring
| ing about the arrest of many Of the riotous
, leaders, who will receive at least some
punishment for their evil deeds. and they
J hope that this action may have some de-
| terrent influence In preventing a similar
| uprising in the future.
! II also made diligent inquiry OF these
| people for the purpose OF ascertalning the
| the attacks on the Jews of Kishineff. The
| consensus of their opinion was to the effect
| that the primary cause of the trouble was
| on account OF the large percentage OF the
, jews in Kishinef who belonged TO the
| so-called Social Democratic party. and
| they said that undoubtedly the agents OF
| the Russian Government believed that
they could give a crushing blow. to this
party by making a terrible example OF the
Jews in Kishineif.
at seems that this Social Democratic
| party is organized for the purpose OF bring
| ing about a constitutional government In
| Russia and therefore Is naturally opposed
| by the present government, / was told
| that deputation Of Jews had an audience
some time ago with the Minister Of the
| Interior to protest against some OF the
| stringent regulations against the Jews,