Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-12-22

abrogation of the treaty with Russia be-
cause of alleged determinations against
American citizens of Hebrew faith. Ignor-
ing the House of Representatives, the
President sent message to the Senate
announcing that on Friday last he had
caused notice to be forwarded to St.
Petersburg that the United States desired
the treaty to end January t. 1918. This
notification was officially handed to the
representatives of the Russian government
Sunday.
Mr.. Taft asked the Senate to ratify and
give effect to his action The foreign affairs
committee of the Senate voted unanimously
to report resolution of ratification, couch
ed in diplomatic terms, and Senator Lodge
offered it later in the Senate.
The resolution reported from the COM
mittee by Mr.. Lodge reads:
Whereas the treaty of commerce and
navigation between the United States and
Russia, concluded on the 18th day of De-
cember, 1882, provides in Article XII
thereof that it shall continue in force until
the LIST day of January, in the year of our
Lord 1889. and if one year before that
date one of the high contracting parties
shall not have announced to the other by
an official notification, its intention to ar
rest the operation thereof, this treaty shall
remain obligatory one year beyond that
day. and so on until the expiration of the
year which shall commence after the date
of similar notification; and
Whereas, on the 18th day of December,
1911, the President caused to be delivered
10 the imperial Russian government by
the American Ambassador at St. Peters,
burg, an official notification, on behalf of
the government of the United States, an
nouncing intention to terminate the opera
ton of this treaty upon the expiration of
the year commencing on the LIST day of
January, 1912 and
Whereas said treaty is no longer respon-
sive in various respects to the political
principles and commercial needs of the
two countries and
Whereas the constructions being placed
thereon by the contracting parties differ
upon matters of fundamental Importance
and interest to each Therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of
Representative of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, That the
notice thus given by the President of the
United States to the government of the
empire of Russia to terminate said treaty
in accordance with the terms of the treaty
is hereby adopted and ratified"
Tuesday the Senate voted unanimously
for the Lodge resolution approving the
action of President Taft when he served
notice upon Russia of desire to terminate
the treaty of 1892, and the resolution was
sent to the House.
Two substitutes employing less diplo-
matte language and more closely approach
ing the House or Sulzer resolution were
defeated by large majorities.
Senators Smith and Rayner, of Mary
land. were among the principal speakers
in the debate.
After fully covering the law of the sub
ject, Mr.. Rayner said:
There is no other remedy. We must
submit or give notice to terminate 1t would
be cowardly act to surrender. The night
of barbarism must close as far as we are
concerned. This is the land of religious
liberty, so ordained by the wisdom of God
and so created by the genius of man. We
cannot permit any autocratic government
to visit this iniquity upon our citizens.
The day of religious inquisition is over. 1t
is useless to talk of negotiation. The Rus
sian government cannot be negotiated with.
Without criticising the State Department
or anyone else cannot understand why
this Government has not long ago de-
manded Of those in authority in this des-
potic land that if they do not amend their
code of religious persecution and become
proselytes at the affairs of reason and hui
manity, they will no longer be tolerated to
retain friendly contact and intercourse with
our free institutions"
Mr.. Rayner next took up the means Of
escape from persecution offered. told Of
adopting the religion of the Greek church
and said
81 think know what the result will be
They will never abandon the affairs Of
their fathers. For centuries their ancestors
have spurned the faggot and the flame
and these people, emulating their heroic
fortitude, will bear up under affection, will
submit to the sundering of domestic tie.
and to the agonies of separation they will
defy imprisonment and they will proceed
to the inhospitable shores of exile rather
than compromise with their tormentors O.
abondon one article of that immortal creed
which during all the generations in tn,
pastoral tents of the shepherd, in tn,
sumptuous palaces of the kings, and among
the broken pillars and arches of the temple
has always maintained its inviolable sim.
plicity.'"
Mr.. Rayney declared that the nationa
honor demanded repeal and concluded thus
Senators. in the name of justice, hu
manity and religious freedom ask for &C
ton at the hands of an American Con
! gress."
1t is said that Russia has already handet
its reply to the Presidents notice of abro
cation to American Ambassador Guild a
ST Petershurp