The Washington times., 1903-06-16
Promises to Give Subject of
Kishinev Outrages Full
b. Consideration Expresses
His Personal Sympathy.
B'nai Birth Suggests Meth
% DDS of Approaching Gar.
No Assurances of DiplO-
$ matte Representations.

President Roosevelt's reply to the
memorandum submitted by the execu-
tive committee OF the B'nai Birth yester-
day. on the subject OF the Kishinev dis
turbances in Russia. was made public
last night As foreshadowed In The
Times yesterday. the President did not
give the assurances desired by his call
ers that this country will take some
action officially, but summed up his
Views in a statement OF his deep per-
sonal sympathy. saying;
.i"Nothing that has occurred recently
has had my more constant thought than
this subject"
IL Should any opportunity occur for OF
-fcial action, the President promises to
DO whatever he can.
The Presidents reply vas carefully
gone over by Secretaries Hay and Root
and Postmaster General Payne before ii
was made public. The greater portion
o. it consists OF Incidents in the Presi-
dents experience in which Jews show
cd noteworthy qualities. After this gen.
eral praise Of the Hebrew race. the
President refers briefly to the Kishinev
matter.
The Methods Proposed.
The memorandum Of the B'nai Birth
concluded with a request for action by
tie Administration on one or the other
or the following plans:
IA petition to the Gar to which
the Bnai Birth will get the signatures
OF the leading men in the various States,
our Government to assist officially or
semi ofncially in securing the delivery
OF this petition to the Car and in pro-
curing a favorable reply thereto. either
by a direct communication or some
other form of public expression. The
manner in which The Government can
render such assistance is not suggested.
for obvious reasons, but the Govern
ment's interest in the plan should be
made known.
"B-Using the Kishinev and other
recent incidents of more or less similar
nature as grounds. an official invitation
by the United States. addressed to all
the powers to an international confer
ence. TO consider prosecutions and OPP
pressions growing out of racial and re-
ligious prejudices and hatred, and to
protect civilization and international
concord from the evil effects of such
prosecutions and expressions"
Response of the President.
The Presidents official reply is in part
as follows:
Mr. Chairman need not dwell upon
fact so patent as the widespread in
dignation with which the american
-
upon the Jews in Kishinev. have never
in my experience in this country known
OF a more immediate or deeper express
sion Of sympathy for the victims and Of
horror over the appalling calamity that
had occurred. IL is natural that while
the whole civilized world should express
such a feeling II should yet be most
intense and most widespread in the
United States: for. OF all the great
powers, I think 1 may say that the
United States is that country in which
from the beginning OF it's national career
most has been done in the way Of ac-
knowIedging the debt due to the Jewish
race and OF endeavoring to do Justice
TO those American citizens who are OF
Jewish ancestry and faith.
zone OF the most touching poems Of
our own great poet, Longfellow. is ii at
one in the Jewish cemetery in Newport,
and anyone who goes through any Of the
old cemeteries OF the cities which pre-
serve the records of the Colonial times
will see the name OF many an American
OF Jewish race who, in war or in peace.
did lis full share in the founding Of
this nation.
Prom that day to this, from the day
when the Jews Of Charleston. Of PhiIa-
delphia. of New York supported the
patriotic cause and helped in every way.
not only by money. but by arms, Wash
ington and his colleagues who were
founding this republication that day
TO the present we have had no struggle
military or civil, in which there have
snot been citizens Of Jewish faith who
played an eminent part for the honor
and credit OF the nation.
4 remember once General Howard
mentioning to me the fact that two OF
this brigade commanders upon whom he
placed special reliance we're Jews.
Among the meetings OF the Grand Army
which I have attended one stands out
with peculiar yividness-2 meeting held
under the auspices OF the men of the
Grand Army OF Jewish creed. in the tenn
ple in FOTty-fourth Street-TenpIe
Emanuel-to welcome the returned vet
Grams CT the Standardization war Of
Jewish faith.
Presidents Jewish Friends.
There was a certain man I appointed
under the following conditions: was
ATTRACTED 70 him by being told on visit
!, to the Bowery branch OF the Young
Mems Christian Association that they
had young fellow there. a Jew. who
had performed feat OF great note IN
saving people from a burning building.
and that they thought he was Just the
type for policeman. had him called
up and told him TO take the examination
and see II be could get through. tic did
and he passed. lie has not only been an
'oxeellent policeman. but he at once. out
or his own salary. proceeded to educate
his younger brothers and sisters. and he