The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-06
Especial Dispatch to The Evening
Post

OuleSS IL Snait OeVelOp IN tne neal
future that Ambassador Bakhmetieff
the new ambassador from Russia, ha.
come to the United States empower
ed to negotiate a new treaty recog
nizing the right of Jewish citizens Il
travel and do business in Russia with.
out restriction, resolutions will bt
pressed in both houses of congress hi.
winter to abrogate the treaty with
Russia of 1882. Such resolutions have
already been introduced. Senator Cul.
bertson of Texas having a resolution In
the senate expressing the sense Of tina,
body that he treaty should be abro.
stated. and Representatives Sulzer
Harrison and Calder of New York
Byrnes of Tennessee. and others hav.
Ing general resolutions in the house di.
rectinE the president to abrogate the
Russian treaty.
The issue involved in the treaty. &C.
cording to those who are interested in
the proposed legislation. Is not merel,
a question affecting the Jews alone
but an American question. on broad
grounds. The treaty of 1882 is not in
itself Il wholly Objectionable docu.
ment, but the Interpretation placed
upon it. and the administration OF II
by the Russian government have given
rise to the present difficulty. At pres
ent he Russian government not onl.
discrimfnates against Jewish citizens
of America. but also against the mis-.
s%ionaries of several Christian churches
Representative Sheppard of Texas nov
has a resolution pending the house
providing that when the new treaty
with Russia is negotiated. this situa.
ton shall also be taken into account
The protest against the Russian
treaty began forty years ago, and
every secretary of state since Blaine
has officially protested to the Russian
government that the American inter
probation of the treaty Is that every
American citizen shall be accorded the
same rights Of travel and of doing
business In Russia which are accorded
to Russiaan citizens in tha United
States. The Russian government. or
the contrary, has insisted that pass
ports Issued to American citizens for
travel or doing business in Russia shall
be subject 10 the laws and rules and
regulations of Russia. under which
there is an admitted discrimination
between Christian and Jewish citizens.
In carrying out this policy. the Rus
sian government has gone so tar. it Is
said. as to wise the passports of Ameri-
can citizens at their consulates in
New York. Chicago and elsewhere.
with especial reference to the religion
of the holder of the passport. In
this way. Catholic priests and Pro-
testant missionaries have been denied
entrance into Russia. While Jewish
citizens have been Disseminated
against in almost every conceivable
way.
During the Cleveland administra-
ton. an %eXtraditiOn treaty with Russia
was negotiated at the instance Of that
country. A protest vas lodged against
such a treaty at the time, 1t being
strongly suspected in some quarters
that an attempt would be made under
it to eXtradite political prisoners. Such
an attempt was actually made two
years ago. It is said that the final
negotiation Of the treaty was accom-
plished IN a promise that Russia
would either negotiate a new treaty
of trade and commerce to take the
place of the treaty of 1882. or would
amend its method of administration Of
that treaty In a manner satisfactory to
the United States.
The position of those who now wish
congress to move in the direction Of
abrogating the treaty with Russia Of
1882 is this:
They hold that Russia has no right
to interpret the treaty or to administer
it as it does: and that. in discriminate
ing against certain American citizens.
1t is violating the treaty. They do not
favor tho immediate abrogation of the
treaty on that ground, but prefer that
advantage be taken of the clause re-
curing one years notice to be given
before abrogation takes place.
Secondly. if Russia is right in. its in
depreciation Of the treaty. then the
treaty, they hold. is unconstitutional
on the ground that 1t permits discrim-
ination between American citizens
either because of their religious belief
or previous condition. They hold, al
SO, that such a treaty would not and
could not have been entered into by
the United States in 1892 if it had
been known at h a time that Russia
had intended to interpret the docu-
ment as has been done.
While those who press for the abro-
CATION Of the treaty at this time admit
that Russia cannot be compelled to
accept their view. which they believe
is the broad American view. they do
feel that they are in a position to ask
W government to stand for
and proclaim the principle for which
1t is understood to stand, namely. the
right of all American citizens to equal
opportunity both at home and abroad.
The claim has been made that, IL the
Russian treaty is abrogated, 1t will
have a disastrous effect upon Ameri-
can trade and commerce with Russia.
answer of those who desire action
is that. even without a treaty. trade
and commerce would be little affected,