Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-15
INQUIRY ABOUT JEWS
Data Being Gathered by a War
saw Editor.
A STORY OF PERSECUTION
Wants Information From the United
States.
FOR USE OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS
Will Be of Value to the Members of
the Duma in Discussing Attitude
Toward Prescribed Race.
A STORY OF PERSECUTION
FOR USE OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.


Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
LONDON, June 20, 1905.
Mr.. Sokolof, editor of the Warsaw Haze
phira, the leading paper of Poland who is
making an inquiry concerning the con-
dition of the Jewish race in the different
countries OF the world, as I told you in a
recent letter, is now in London stopping
at l1S Sutherland avenue Madvale editing
the voluminous Information he has gathered.
Mr.. SokOlof is not official of the Rus
sian government, nor is his inquiry an Of
fetal one, but it has the Endorsement of
the ministry and he bears letters of Gre
dentlsls to the Russian ambassadors of the
various countries he has visited introduc-
ing him, describing his mission and in
structng them 10 assist him as far as 1t
is in their power. At the same time he in
paying his own expenses and giving his
time TO the work without any compensa-
ton whatever He has received cordial as
sistanCe from Jewish societies and commit
tees at different places he has visited.
They have not only furnished materials
for his report, but have met all expenses
connected Herewith, and he is anxious to
have some Jewish organization in the
United States to dGNthe same; to prepare
statement setting forth briefly the history
of the Jews from their first appearance in
North America; the restrictions that were
prejudces from which they have suffered;
the commercial and financial obstacles that
were placed in their way; their social rela
tons with other races; their political and
civil rights; their occupations: educational
and charitable movements; their partici-
patton in the military service of the United
States; their activity in economic, scientific
and labor movements, and other Informal
ton of a similar character which has al
ready been gathered and published in vari-
Gus forms in connection with the celebra-
ton last Thanksgiving day of the 2Jdth
anniversary of the advent of the first Jew
ish immigrants in the United States. 1t
would therefore. be an easy matter for
some committee to compile a concise his
tory of the political social Industrial
commercial and religious history of the
Jewish race in the United States. And
there ought to be sufficient patriotism
among them TO DO il. The historical part
will necessarily be brief but because the
Jews have suffered very little from perse-
cutions and restrictions in the United
States. but the story of their progress and
accomplishments might be too long for
Mr. Sokolofs purposes If il were all told
He wants this statement signed by persons
of recognized authority and integrity and
confirmed by the Russian ambassador at
Washington, according to the program that
has been followed in other countries.
Object of the Inquiry.
The object Of the inquiry is to furnish
the. officials of the interior department at
Petersburg, the members Of the douu1a.
the newspap ers of the empire and all whom
II may concern with a complete authentic
statement OF the facts concerning the his
tory of the Jewish race in the various
other countries of the world. the restrictions
TO which they have been subjected, the
methods and steps by which their enamel
patton was brought about and the conse-
quenCes uDon the members of that race. the
public generally and the government. and
such other information as may be OF value
to Russian statesmen. legislators and other
officials who will have to deal with the
question.
Mr.. SOkolof undertook this task after re-
pedted conferences with Count de White and
other Russian officials. and began it more
than year ago. He has very nearly fin
ished his work with the exception OF the
American continent, and has secured some
very Interesting facts, a compilation of the
history of the Jews in every country of Eu-
rope because there has been Jewish uues-
ton everywhere. The Jews have been re
stricted and prosecuted since the sixth cen
tury. even In Holland. Switzerland and the
United States. the three countries where
civil and religious liberty are supposed to
have been the fundamental principals of
civilization