Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-03
RUSSIA SOON TO YIELD
WILL RECOGNIZE PASSPORTS OF
AMERICAN JEWS.
The Presidents Protest Against Dis
criminatory Treatment, It is Be-
ieved, Has Been Effective.

The State Department has received a
cablegram from the United States embassy
at st. Petersburg which warrants it in the
assumption that the Russian government
will soon agree to recognize passports of
American Jews travelling in Russia.
Harsh and oppressive Determinations
against American Hebrews who have visit
ed Russia, or have sought to, have furnish
ed the basis for vast amount Of diplomatic
correspondence between Russia and the
United States during the past twenty years.
Up to the present time the United States
has been unable to secure any alienation
of the vigorous measures to which Amerf-
can Hebrew citizens were subjected when
they desired to visit the dominions of the
car. A few weeks ago the President again
directed the Department of State to present
the matter most earnestly to the Russian
government, and in obedience to his direc-
lions forceful instructions were sent to the
United States ambassador at st. Petersburg
to lay the matter Immediately before Count
LamSdorf.
The Presidents Statement.
The instructions said among other things:
You will make known to his excellency
the views of this government as to the ex-
pediency of putting an end to such dis
examinations between different classes of
ligious faith, when seeking to avail them
selves of the common privileges of civilized
peoples to visit other friendly countries
for business or travel.
THAT such discriminatory treatment is
naturally matter of much concern to
this government is a proposition which his
excellency will readily comprehend without
dissent. In no other country in the world
is class discrimination applied to our Wis
iting citizens. That the benefits accruing
fn sufficient
the inconveniencies involved is open to
question from the practical standpoint. In
the view of the President, 1t is not easy to
discern the compromising advantage to the
class of tourists and men of business, whose
character and position in life are such as
in most cases to afford a guarantee against
any abuse of the hospitality of Russia, and
whose intelligence and sterling moral quail
ties fit them to be typical representatives
of our people and entitle them to win for
themselves abroad no less degree of esteem
than they enjoy in their own land"
Count Lamsdorff's Assurances.
This statement of the case has not been
without effect and the department Is en-
couraged in the belief that it's representa-
lions will bring about the desired result at
no late date. According to information
which has come to Washington Count
Lamsdorff has informed the United States
ambassador in st. Petersburg that a special
commission has been instituted by supreme
order under the direction of the ministry
of the interior for the purpose of general
revision of the passport regulations now in
force. The Russian foreign Office has a
representative on this commission, and
Count Lamsdorff promises that the wishes
of this government set forth by the
President in the foregoing extract from
the instructions to our ambassador will be
promptly presented with favorable and sat
isfactory representations.