The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-03-11

WARSAW, March ll.--War may bring
hope to four millions of the cars sub
jects who are of the house of Israel.
Should military and naval failure thorough
ly discredit the ignorant and bigot q
bureaucrats who at present govern Russia,
new regime might bring peace and com
parative happiness to the prosecuted Jews.
Outside of Russia people are often heard
TO express wonder as to why the Jews
originally settled in country where they
are so oppressed. The Jews originally
settled in Poland and neighborng terri
tories, now Russian, for an exactly OPP
posite reason.
During the middle ages the government
of Poland was the most liberal in Europe
towards the jews. III Austria and Ger
many especially they were bitterly per-
secuted, and fed in 4aultitudes to the only
place where they IT e welcome. 1t is one
of the ironies of - bat four millions
of Jews should bs lied to one of the
most bitter prosecutions of modern times,
because their ancestors settled in certain
places to escape similar prosecutions.
In this city of Warsaw there are some
thing like 200 600 Jews out of a popula-
ton of little over 100000. Strictly
speaking, Warsaw and Poland are not
within the Jewish pale, as Polish Jews
have privileges which their brethren in
Russia proper do not enjoy But, even
in Poland it takes pretty good micro
scope to discover any benevolent actions
toward them, on the part of the govern
ment
The pale itself comprises Is provinces,
stretching along the frontiers of Germany
and Austria from the Baltic sea down to
the Sea of Azov. Poland therefore is al
most in the middle of the pale, and, in
sense, Warsaw is the capital of Russian
Hebrewism. Next to Warsaw, Odessa is
the most important city out of the pale,
and is the first and most prosperous sea-
port in Russia. In fact, the manufacture
ing and industrial development of Russia
is largely within the prescribed limit, and
the towns where Jews are allowed to settle
and ply their trades with the least in
reference are those which are most pros
porous among all the towns under the
cars sway. Kishineff is a town which
owes its prosperity almost wholly to its
Jewish citizens.
To an ordinary, civilized government,
citizens who are capable of building cities
and developing great industries would be
encouraged; but the settled policy of
Russia for nearly century has been to
discourage the jew. in every way and drive
him out of the country.
A III, 4 -. Il ~ 4
that the anti-Jewish policy would result
in making one-third of the Russian Jews
migrate, onethird become converted to the
Russian orthodox church, while one-third
he hoped would starve to death.
Within the pale, Jews may live only in
towns. They are not allowed to own land
or to work on the land. They are not al
lowed to reside within 80 miles of any
foreign frontier. They have no political
privileges. Their civil rights are limited
in every direction, while at the same time
they are exempted from nothing which the
nativeborn Russian who enjoys all the
rights and privileges is expected to give
The jew pays all the taxes anybody else
pays and in addition is usually squeezed for
little more. When he reaches the proper
age he is compelled to serve in the Russian
army, though he cannot by any means rise
to the position of an officer. In the
schools only per cent of the pupils may
be Jews. although the proportion in the
population of the town may be so per
cent Jewish. No jew is allowed to serve
in any government office OF in any official
| capacity
Most serious of ALL the Russian laws
so act as to deprive all jews except those
of the most exec, tonal ability of the