The sun., 1903-06-25
American Passports Turned Down In
Russia.

The Israelite Alliance of America is
making vigorous effort to direct public
attention in this country to the outra-
reous discrimination by the Russian Gov
ernment against citizens of the United
States who are of the Jewish faith.
American citizenship and the great
seal of our Government upon its pass
ports are not valid at the Russian frontier
when the citizen and holder of the pass
port happens to be of that religion. The
prescription applies alike to native and
naturalized Americans. The shameful
fact exists to-day that applicants TO the
State Department for the certificate OF
citizenship and the guarantee OF pro-
lection which they are entitled to carry
with them confidently to any part OF the
world receive this warning with regard
to Russian territory:
This Government has not yet been able 10 secure
from the Russian Government a promise OF uniform
treatment for all American travellers In Russia
without regard to their religious faith,
Yet the Russian Government long ago
made broadly that promise. and made 1t
in the solemn form of a treaty contract,
in Article l. of the Treaty of 1892:
There shall be between the territories of the
high contracting parties reciprocal liberty or
commerce and navigation. The Inhabitants OF the
respective States shall mutually have liberty to
enter the ports. places and rivers of the terri
tories Of each party wherever foreign commerce is
permltted They shall be al liberty TO sojourn aud
reside In all parts whatsoever OF said territories In
order to attend TO their affairs and they shall enjoy
TO that effect the same security and protection as
natives of the country In which they reside con-
dltion OF their submitting TO the laws and ordinances
there prevailing and particularly TO the regulations
in force concerning commerce"
The technical defence OF the Russian
Government for its violation of the spirit
of this contract would be, we suppose,
that even native Russians OF the Jewish
faith are not permitted life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness in the Cars
dominions without special permission.
and that Americans of the same faith are,
accordingly, subject to the same restric-
tions and exclusion.
On that theory OF classification OF
American citizens according to religious
belief, Russia could deny the treaty
rights of entrance and safe sojourn to
American Roman Catholics and Protes-
tants of every denomination, simply by
promulgating domestic ordinances re-
quiring special permission for the resi-
dence in Russia Of Russian natives OF
other faiths than that of the Holy Ortho-
dox Catholic and Apostolic Church. She
could do that, practically nullifying her
obligations under the reciprocal contract
Of 1882, and yet at the same time main
tain, as now in the case Of American citi.
zens Of the Jewish faith, that the letter Of
the treaty was not violated.
This e1pedient Of medieval prejudice
was brushed aside years ago by spirited
American named JAMES G. BLAINE. HI
wrote to st. Petersburg when he wa.
Secretary Of State:
we can make no new treaty with Russia, no
accept any construction Of our ertstno treaty. whlc
shan discriminate against any class Of America
citizens on account of their religious faith"
What American Secretary Of State, O.
Senator or Representative in Congress
or self-respe citing citizen in any station o
life, will or can take position short o
that which Mr.. BLAINE took in 1881?