New-York tribune., 1906-11-28

neand mueh d,d vd u was an Insurance agent How
Why Hl DO you come to America? Because Want
Forty WHAT do vo expeef to dc bere?
The '1 deeisto@1 ~ If 'tng W AT insurance? Yes
6eoa because likely to become public charge" Eyi-
sraole immigrants
A residence of eight years in Warsaw has quail
ihed Mrs Baskerville 10 write with large meas
Cre OF authority in regard to the desira hiity Of
the PoIish Jew as q prospective American citi-
zen She has evidently been keen observer IL
not sympathetic one. She has made herself
FAMILIAR with the religious and social customs of
the Polish Jews, and has been close student Of
their economical and political limitations and
development-in Poland. Her attitude through
out, however. is that of an outsider an alien one
TO whom the habits and personalities of those
about whom she writes distasteful. Their
surface faults more apparent to her than are
their inner virtues, old neighbor though she is
Her book must accordingly be read with due
allowance for her point of view.
Political conditions have forced the Jew in
Poland into the unlovely position of an economic
parasite. Crowded into the unwholesone ghet-
toes, he is underfed and underpaid and, con-
sequently inefficient workman In the
smaller agricultural towns he is trader and q
middleman. Everywhere he is money lender.
q
from a society and. going into the villages turn
them with profit to himself in the course of
the week, by supplying the temporary needs of
the peasantry at exorbitant interest. Competi-
ton among the Jews forces down the prices Of
labor where the Jew comes also into competition
with the Christian, and this increases the anti
Semitic feeling To anti-seuitisn the author
attributes the rise Of Zionisrn, whether regarded
as a coionizing scheme or merely separatist
sentiment But Zionisrn, in her belief stands
upon'too sentimental foundation TO be a per-
manent structure Yet the party OF assin1ila-
ton. which favors q casting in OF the Jewish lot
with the Polish national movement makes little
progress
The principles of the Bund, Lithuanian i'm
portation. IN the authors opinion best repre-
sent the present trend OF Jewish political ac.iv-
ity. The Bund is carrying on a persistent even
a pugnacious, propaganda, which has resulted
in palpable Jewish revival. It is socsIistic,
and distinctly opposed to the old Talnudic and
rabbinistic regime. Yet IL is strongly sepa-
ratistc also. though holding nothing IN common
with zionism. Tt breaches:
Stay where you and work your own sal
amount Of political influence The Jew win no
longer be the periah Of society; ne viii be able
Yiddish. Let the Poles and haifassiIniiatsd jews
sua a. ana hs 5 sans We II 'Rs R make &
means Of your intellectual development and Of your
political freedom. Read books and papers
written in your mother tongue and you will learn
of things which have passed and passing in
the outside world without losing your individual
ty or sacrificing Jor Of your racial pride You
will learn OF despotism overrhrown by the masses.
Of revolutions achieved and prcletariats victorious.
Join and will do the rest
The immediate goal of the Bundist is the over
throw of Czardom. His weapons are strikes and
the conversion OF the military and naval forces
TO socialism. The Bundist has armed himself
with the revolver and the author has many tales
10 tell Of his readiness to use ii. Such ia the
Jew to-day in Poland. according TO Mrs. Baske-
vile. and such the teachings that the more
energetic and dissatisfied Jews are taking with
them 70 America. To her the outlook is full OF
menace. To the native American IL will appear
less ominous. The more energetic the irnni-
grant Jew. the better for him and for the coun-
try. With no Gear 10 overthrow. his energy is
likely 10 find constructive rather than de-
structive outlet. Under our free institutions he
will expand, and hts separatistic tendency will
weaken.