The Cairo bulletin., 1911-11-20
THE PASSPORT QUESTION
WHAT IS THE PASSPORT CUES
TI0N2

tNTltten lOf Inc Bulletin
Many articles have been written.
many speeches have been made.
many diplomatic communications
have passed between the government
of Russia, about the Passport Ones
ton. And yet most Americans do
not seem to know exactly what the
Passport Question is, how important
1t is, how II affects the honor Of
American citizenship.
The Passport Question is neither
a Jewish nor a Russian problem 1t
is distinctly an American problem.
In 1882 the Government of the
United States made treaty with
Russia. In clear, unmistakable
terms, which could not be miscon-
strued, the very first article of the
treaty was to guarantee reciprocal
liberty of commerce and navigation
between the territories of the con-
tracing powers, and the citizens of
the two countries were to have the
liberty of entering the territories OF
each country and of sojourning and
residing in all parts OF such terri
tories for the purpose Of attending
to their affairs
When one wishes to travel abroad,
it is customary to apply to the Gov
eminent for passport. The pass
port is evidence that the person
bearing it is a citizen of the United
States and is entitled to all the
rights and privileges of citizenship.
Must State Religion.
If an American citizen desires to
visit Russia. he not only has TO have
passport. but he has also to have
it viseed in ADVANCE by Russian
consul in the United States. The
visa is equivalent to certificate
from the Russian representative In
this country that in his sopinion the
bearer is a fit PERSON to enter Rus
sia Before the Russian consul will
wise a passport, however, the appli-
cant has to fill out form, in which
he is Obliged to state his religion. 1t
is because of this religious inquisi-
ton that all the difficulty has aris-
en-; since, If man states that he is
Jew, or il it appears that the ap-
plicant is a Roman Catholic priest
or a Protestant missionary, the visa
of the passport is forthwith re-
fused
It is we'll known that the United
States Government makes no dis
tinction between American citizens
on account of their religion It cam
not do so because it is against the
Constitution. All American citizens,
irrespective OF their religion, are
equal before the law The United
States. therefore, could not make a
treaty which would discriminate
against American citizens on relig-
ious grounds without violating the
Constitution.
For nearly fifty years. the Russian
Government observed the Treaty of
1892 with the United States, with
the same good faith that the United
States has always fulfilled It's. OBJ
legations. But beginning in 1881
Russia inaugurated her prosecutions
and massacres of its Jews, and at
the same time, began discriminating
against any Jews of the United
States who desired to visit Russia. 1t
mattered not If the forefathers of
an American Jew had fought In the
revolutionary War, nor how dis
tinguished his services may have
been to his country, the visa of his
passport was refused solely on ac-
count of his religion--so that Rus
STA introduced a form of religious
inquisition, on American soil. as to
every American citlZen VINO desires
to go to Russia, This condition
continues today.
Russian Discrimination.
This discrimination by Russia has
been practised for more than a gen.
Grafton in spite of protests on the
part of every Secretary Of state who
held office during that period.
Secretaries of state Evarts, Blaine.
Gresham, 0lney, and Hay have all
made irrefutable arguments to the
been answered only by subterfuge,
by begging the question, and by re-
peated representation. Presidents
and Ccnrpt rtaQ of gtote and Anart