The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-15
 ; SMALL INTEREST IN PASSPORT MATTER Hope Political Relations Will Not Be Dis
 turbed

St. Petersburg, December 1.-The Jew ish passport question has awakened only slight public interest here. The prospect
 of the abrogation of the treaty of 1882 docs
 not seem to disturb anyone. Good re-
 lations with the United States are duly appreciated especially as they affect the far east, but it is pointed out that Rus sia and Germany waged tariff war in
 the sos during which they remained on
 good terms politically.
 The abrogation of the treaty would ar-
 feet Russian trade to the extent of about $S,Oeoo0O annually, whereas American
 trade to four times that amount would
 be affected. Abrogation of the treaty, it is realized, would strike a more vital
 blow, if by reason of this, Russian sub
 jects were shut out of America. From
 the standpoint of the Russian government
 the cessation of Jewish emigration would be disagreeabe but the government does
 not believe that the matter would be pressed so far.
 On the other hand the government sees
 graver peril in the indiscriminate ad-
 mission of Jews to Russia as many of | these, it is asserted by government off cials, are revolutionists, socialists and an
 archists Their coming armed with Amer iean passports and with the right to claim
 consular aid, it is argued would endanger the public peace and cease ultirsataly | diplomatic friction and q serious aggre-
 gation of Russo-American relations. | The Jewish question looms so large in
 Russia proper that the question of Rus | so-American relations takes a secondary place and, finally, it is declared Russia cannot surrender control over the admis- sion of foreigners within her borders.
 Tpese are the representative views in gov ernment and other circles but though not
 intruding on principle, it is felt that Rus
 sia would be willing to emeliorate the
 conditions in practically every circumr stance.
 While sympathizing with the aims or the passport agitation, Prof. Milukoff
 does not approve of the methods em-
 ployed.
 M Sazonoff, the foreign minister said
 Professor Milukoff today has classified
 all the Jews who could possibly come
  men and second, revolutfonists and anar-
 chists. But he omitted or forgot d third clas, namely, ordinary citizens who are neither business men nor revolutionists,
 but whose visits and residence in Russia are desirable. Unless positive objection can
 be established against this or that par ticular person all must be admitted with ol1t distinction of race
 An interview with Foreign Minister Sazonoff in regard to the claim of the
 United States for recognition by Russia of passports issued to American citizens of the Jewish faith, is published today in the Novo Vremya.
 The foreign minister said that the mat ter did not directly concern the Russian foreign office. Neither the Russian min istry of the interior nor the Russian con- suls had raised any obstacles against the entry into Russia of American commer- cial men or tinanciers of the Jewish faith.
 The present agitation, he said, did not however relate to that class of persons
 Many agitators, revolutionaries and an- archists who were adherents of the He brew religion had emigrated to America during the recent troubles because of their beliefs and it was not, M. SaZonoff said, to be expected Russia would en- courage the return of these undesirable clements.