Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-05
RUSSIA HOLDS UP
BAN ON U. S.JEWS
Notifies Country It Will Accept
Abrogation of Treaty Rather
Than Accord Privilege.
ENDS PLAN FOR THE TIME
Taft and Knox Disposed to Let Mat
ter Rest for o While for
Reasons Of Policy.


Washington, Dec. 5.-Russia will
not grant to the American Jew the
right freely to enter and travel
within its dominions. Russia has
notified the United States that 1t will
accept the abrogation OF the treaty
of 1882 rather than accord this priv
ilege.
Thus for the moment have ended
the negotiations which, 1t develop
ed here, were initiated by Score
tary of State Knox, as a result of
popular agitation, for the purpose Of
removing the discrimination impos-
ed by the Russian government upon
this section of the American people.
The administration, as far as 1t
has dealt with the matter, feels 1t
would be unwise for the general
public interests to abrogate the
treaty. Taking into consideration the
large commercial interests of the
United States and Russia, the neces-
sity of maintaining friendly rela-
lions with the Russian government
in view of the Chinese situation and
the desirability of such relations be
cause of other existing diplomatic
matters, the president and the Sec
rotary of state are disposed to let
the question rest until more favor
able opportunity arises for the ap-
plication of pressure.
HOUSE MAY TAKE ACTION.
Congress is not likely, however,
to be quiescent There is strong
sentiment, particularly in the house
of representatives, to adopt a reso-
luton directing the president to de-
nounce the Russian treaty. Such a
resolution if passed undoubtedly
would be stified by the senate and
If it reached the president probably
it would be vetoed.
The exact character of the repre-
sensations made to Russia by this
government through Ambassador
Guild cannot be learned; but in a
general way it is known that 1t was
proposed to amend the treaty OF
1892 so as to prevent future dis.
elimination against Americans, nc
in the matter of entering and trav.
cling in the Russian empire
ARTICLE IN QUESTION.
The article of the treaty toward
which the attention of the Russian
government was directed is as fol
lows:
There shall be between the terri
} tories of the high contracting par
ties a reciprocal liberty of com
. merce and navigation. The inhabi
, tants of their respective states shall
} mutually have liberty to enter tn
I ports, places and rivers of the ter
ritories of each party wherever fol
| eign commerce is permitted The
shall be at liberty to sojourn an,
/ reside in all parts whatsoever of sal
: territories in order to attend to thei
J affairs and they shall enjoy to tina
{ effect the same security and protec
ton as natives of the country where
in they reside, on condition of thei
submitting to the laws and ord
=
larry to the regulations in force col
I corning commerce.
] The Russian government hold
: that the freedom of admission an
: sojourn granted by the above al
/ ticle is limited by the clause 20
condition Of their submitting to tn
laws and ordinances there prevail
; n he ,I<
tions and restrictions imposed upo
Jews in Russia must apply to Amer
lean Jews. But it Is contended b
experts in International law that tn
provision upon which Russia relic
relates to residence in Russia an
not to admission and travel.
1.-THE inhabitants of their respec
i've states" says the article, "sha
mutually have liberty to enter tn
ports, places and rivers Of the tel
ritories of each party wherever fol
eign commerce is permitted"
LIBERTY OF RESIDENCE.
1t is further provided that 1.-THE
shall be at liberty to sojourn an
reside in all parts whatsoever {
said territories in order to atten
to their affairs" In so doing the
shall be subject to the laws and Of
dinances prevailing.
For years, under democratic an
republican administrations, th
United States has protested to Ru
STA against discrimination betwee
its citizens. 1t early took and a,
hered to the position that none {
its citizens should be discriminate
against for religious or racial re;
sons and that such discriminate
was repugnant to our constitution
duty to afford them in every pc
sible way equal protection and pri