Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-21
REFORMS FOR EFFECT
RUSSIAN CONCESSIONS TO JEWS
DENOUNCED AS SLAMS.
Former Member of Duma Says Inten-
ton Was to Influence Public
Sentiment.

NEW YORK, December 81 The bills of
the Russian council of ministers purr orting
to give Russian Jews greater liberties
within the pale settlement of hfteen prov
inces in western Russian, reported in cable
dispatches from ST. Petersburg having
been approved by the car December 1S
was declared fraud on public sentiment
by DR.. Schmarja Levin of Wilma, Russia,
member of the duma dissolved by the car.
1t gave no rights, said DR.. Levin yes
terday, which the Jews had not had prior
to 1852, and, further it gave no rights of
which the Jews in Russia today would care
to take advantage. 1t was designed solely
for its effect upon public opinion outside of
Russia. Although it permitted Jews resid-
ing in cities within the pale to dwell in viii
lagos, also within the designated area, yet
were the Jews to remove from the cities
into the country whatever property they
might acquire and their lives would be IN
constant danger.
DR.. Levin was at the residence of DR.. ].
Leon Manages, secretary of the Federation
of American Zionists. There he said that he
would return to Russia within a few weeks.
In Wilma lie was a government ra Dbl. In
the defunct duma he was constitutional
democrat. Through Dr. Manages, who acted
as interpreter. DR.. Levin said:
A Shaky Government.
ut is idle to talk of increasing the lib
erty of the Jew by permitting him to move
from the cities of the pale to their villages.
The only real advantage will be when the
laws permit his free movement through
every part of Russia. The government is in
a trembling condition. 1t feels that to the
world 1t must appear to give something
which in the end is all it does do-appear to
give something. No Jews are glad because
of the passage of such laws.
Prior to 1889 the Jews residing in the
fifteen provinces were allowed the right of
living outside the cities. Then by the May
laws, so-called, this privilege was taken
away. So Russia in granting this new law
simply restores what in the past was the
Jews right. The government was in the
position OF the miser drowning in his bath
tub Give me your hand said some one,
that l may help you L can give nothing,
the miser replied. He had gotten out of
the habit of giving. and so could not even
give that which would save his life. So
with the government. 1t cannot give the
least concession, which in the end might
tend to save it.
There's also this fact to be remembered:
Jews cannot reside outside the pale without
special permits from the police. The law
does not allow them to remove to villages
outside the pale. Today in the villages
within the pale the Russian peasants are
starving. Were the Jews today to come
into their community, they would be at the
mercy of these starving peasants. l do not
think that any Jew would care to remove
to such centerS.
Merchants and Artisans.
1.-THE sections OF the law relating to the
removal of restrictions resting upon mer-
chants and artisans residing in cities other
than those within the pale, l cannot discuss
fully as lack full details. The restric-
tons, however, are of this nature: A Jew
ish artisan laborer in order to work in
cities outside the pale, must have a cer,-n-
cate and belong to guild, which has some
resemblance to a trades union. The law
may abolish this condition. In fact, l think
it does, though 1 am not certain.
The merchants are also divided into
guilds, which are Of different grades. A
merchant, after five years a member of
the First Guild outside of ST Petersburg.
may be allowed to tane up his, residence in
the capital Merchants of certain guilds
are permitted to reside Limited period Of
each year in ST. Petersburg, which periods
of time graded according. to the rank
of the guild. In some cases an outside mer
chant may live in the capital for three
months of each year, but he must live
alone His wife cannot accompany him.
TT is also possible that the law may
modify these restrictions in some minor
way, or alter the grading or change other
details. 1t is Sense!eSs however, to con-
slider seriously the little prov sionS of such
an act. 1t is a half law. 1t does not grant
what we want, entire freedom to come and
a NpoSition to influence and direct public
sentiment should protest and protest until
the sham of Russia is known by the civil
lied world Russia has given this pretended
reform under pressure. Public and con-
tinued protest would in the end force her to
concede something that would be &c real
value.