Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-22
observation-disclosures
Removal Indefinitely Postponed
by Dissolution of Duma.
THAT BODY DID NOTHING
"Pale Of Settlement" Law Will Be
Abrogated.
LEGISLATION WILL HELP SOME
Persecution Of Jews Began in the
Time Of Alexander III and
Has Grown Worse.
THAT BODY DID NOTHING
LEGISLATION WILL HELP SOME
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

bpeciai correspondence or me Star and the Cnca8o
Record Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG, July %, 1906
The removal of the restrictions upon the
Jews has been indefinitely postponed by the
dissolution of the duma. The government re-
ferred the question to that body. and 1t did
nothing. The restrictions concerning pass
ports and other personal matters, aside from
the question Of religious freedom must stand
until another duma shall be elected and takes
action. Under the law no Jew can enter the
empire without special permission upon the
presentation of an application stating his
business and the object of his journey; and
IT Is in the discretion of the police to grant
or refuse it. The late duma might have
abolished this by the enactment of law
or the adoption of a resolution. a very
simple procedure. which probably would not
have been objected to. But 1t did not take
any steps even to modify the offensive pass
port regulations. although some of the
ablest members Of the body were Israelites,
and there were thirteen, In their group-per-
haps 1t was an unlucky number. The fol-
lowing were the Jewish deputies and the
provinces from which they came:
Prof. Hertzenstein from Moscow.
Jacbosohn and Ostrogorski, from Grodno.
Levin. from Wilma.
Bramson from Kovno.
Katzenellensohn, from Libau.
Frankel and Tzervonenkin, from Kieff.
Scheftel. from El1aterinoslav.
Jolos. from Poltava-
Bruck, from Vitebsk.
Rosenbaum, from Minsk.
Winawer. from ST. Petersburg
Some of these names are written differ
emily. but have given the common news
paper spelling.
Mr.. Winawer. or Vinaver as It is some
times spelled and Prof Hertzenstein were
among the ablest and most influential MEM
bers of the constitutional democratic party,
and by their advice 1t was decided in caucus
not to treat the Jewish question as a special
problem, but to adopt a general omnibus
law declaring civil, political and religious
liberty and equality for all citizens. and ST.
simultaneously abolishing all class racial and
religious privileges and determinations. and
repeating all laws and regulations excepting
or exempting the members of any race or
religious faith from the statutes which gov
ern the community in general. 1t was de-
cided to adopt this policy without discussion.
1t was thought wise. for obvious reasons
not to permit the word Jew to appear in the
text of the statutes any more than the word
Mohammedan. and to apply the same legis-
lation to all Of the several races and relig-
ions that are found in the Russian empire
This policy was defined in the historic re-
ply of the duma to the address from the
throne.
Winawer an Able Man.
Max Winawer, who Is regarded as one
of the ablest lawyers in Russia. and has
a large and lucrative practice in St. Pc
tersburg, Notwithstanding the fact that he
Is a Jew. told me that he had prepared a
bill embodying the proposition have cited,
and it had been signed by $50 of the mem
bers of the duma, including representa-
tives of every political party and faction.
This insured the adoption Of the measure
by practically a unanimous vote. The rules
of the duma required the written indorse-
ment of thirty members before bill could
be introduced and any one familiar with
legislation in the Congress of the United
States. or our state legislatures, will i'm
mediately recognize that there Is great
merit In the regulation.
There Is no doubt that the imperial coun-
Gil would have concurred in the resolution
and that the car would have approved 1t.
because. of all the criticisms have heard
OF him. no one has accused him of being
in sympathy with the persecution of his
Jewish subjects. His father Alexander
III, was fanatical in his prejudices: his
uncle. the late Grand Duke Sergius was
the f1ercest Jew batter In Russia but Mich
olas III has a gentle disposition and a toll
Grant spirit.
1t Is necessary now to speak Of the duma
in the past tense. but many of the matters
before 1t are still of vital interest.
In speaking of his bill several days be-
fore the duma was dissolved Mr.. Winawer
said that he confident of securing its
passage before the close of the session, and
although have not seen him SINCE have
no doubt that he Is very much disappont-
ed. But he will have another opportunity