The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-11-27
III
Russia's Discrimination Against
American Citizens
III
Against

acter, Jews and Gentiles, who desire
to 60 to Russia, provided with Ameri-
can passports which arc honored in
every country on the face of the
globe, have been barred by the Rus
sian government, in violation of the
Treaty Of 1892. But ii a criminal
wants to go to Russin and tells the
Russian consul in this country that
he is Christian, he will be admitted
without the slightest difficulty.
If prominent scientist, author.
jurist. banker or statesman wants to
20 to Russia he must first pass the re-
! ligious test at the Russian consulate
here. If the religion of the appli-
tcant does not satisfy the Russian
consul. the American cannot pass the
Russian frontier
If the American happens to be very
prominent and applies to the Russian
Minister of the Interior for a special
permit to enter, this may be issued
and the Russian consul will be in
structed to wise the passport. But
this very exception makes Russia's
policy to discrimination all the more
humiliating to the average Ameri
can citizen.
The Treaty Of 1892 was not made,
merely for prominent Americans who
happen to suit the likes OF the Rus
sian Minister of the Interior. II was
made for the American people, re-
gardless of their creed or color, or
the prominence of their position in
the community
Straus Takes Firm Hand
When the Russian government
learned that Oscar S. straus, then
American Ambassador to Turkey, in
tended to visit Russia, the Ministry
of the Interior issued circular to
the effect that Mr. Strans would be
admitted to Russia, "even though
he is of the Jewish persuasion" Mr..
Straus resented the exception that
Russia was willing to make in his
case and abandoned his plan of visit
ing that country.
Should Cardinal Gibbons desire to
visit Russia, the Russian consul
would decline to wise his passport,
for not very long ago Bishop Hoban,
Roman Catholic Bishop OF Scranton,
was refused admission to Russia be-
cause he is a priest.
If some international congress
were held in Russia, many of the
most distinguished American schol-
ars could not attend for the simple
reason that their American pass
ports would not be good enough.
The Russian Consul would refuse to
wise such passports.
Thus, for instance, Dr.. Albert
Abraham Nicholson, a Russian Jew,
a citizen of the United States, the
only American who was ever award
ed the Nobeh prize for scientific at
tainments, could not go to Russia
The Treaty rights would not pro-
tect him. Russia would refuse to
wise his American passport.
Jacques Loeb, the distinguished
scientist; Simon Flexner, the Presi-
dent of the Rockefeller Institute:
Samuel James Meltzer, the great
American psychologist, and many
other scientists of note who are rem
dering great services to all man.
kind, would not be admitted to Rus
STA even though they came with their
American passports. The Russian
Consul would not wise their passports.
If David Warfeld were invited to
give series of performances at St
Petersburg, just as Russian players
come to New York, he could not pass
| the frontier. His American passport
| WOuiu NV htip II bdFlu
co were invited to stage a production
lin Russia his American citizenship
could not aid him to enter Russo
simply because Russia chooses to VI
olate her Treaty with the United
States, by discriminating agains.
Americans on religious grounds
Within few months, Oscar Ham
merstein, desiring to visit st. Peters.
burg in connection with his new
loperatic enterprise In London, was
refused passport because he is =
i Jew.
/ Horowitz Case Cited
4 Louns J. Horowitz, a naturalizet
american citizen, the president o.
the Thompson-Starrett Company, thu
corporation which built the grea
IUnion, station at Washington, anc
wished to go to Russia three year.
ago in behalf Of his firm, to bid on {
railway station that was to be erect
ed in st. Petersburg, but the Russian
| Embassy in Washington refused n