The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-16
ABROGATE, THEN WHAT?

ABKOGATE, THEN WHAT
We very willingly give space to The
following communication from the Rab.
hi of the Congregation Montcforc i'll
this city; this in the intercs, OF free
discussion on a question OF public IN
tcrcst:
salt Lake Ciry. Utsh, Dec. L., 1911.
Editor Tribune Commenting upon the
unanimous demand mnde by our House
of Representatives. 20 sbrosate the treaty
with Russia II she refuses TO recognize
| American passports presented by Jews.
you say among others Does anybody
believe that this abrogatIon II made et-
fcclusl would cure the complaint? ii
| IN reply Ia this. | wish 90 say that
! everybody who is thoroughly acquainted
with the facts bearing upon the pass
port problem must answer your question
! IN tho affirmative The reasons are
simple and may be summed up in tho
| following:
about treaty Of 1892 reads: There shall
he between tho territories Of tho high
contracting parties reciprocal liberty OF
commerce and navsston. The inhehi7
! tauts OF their respective states sinai!
mutually have liberty 10 enter the ports,
places. and rivers OF The territories oi
permitted They shall he at liberty 10
soioprn aud reside in all parts What
soever Of said territories In order to
| attend TO their affairs; and they snail
/ enjoy to that effect. the same security
| and protection as natives OF that Coun-
! try wherein they reside, on condition of
| their submitting 10 the laws and ordi
nanCes there prevailing, and particularly
! 70 the regulations IN force concerning
commerce,
Since the ratification of THIS treaty
our Government has faithfully ana uni
| formly adhered 10 and performed all the
| provisions thereof The Government OF
| Russia on the other hand has uniformly
refused TO conform 10 the provisions Of
! that Jewish citizens OF tho United states
as well native as foreign born, have
| been subjected by Russian officials on
our own soil TO an inqusition concern
| ing their religious faith and antccedents
which is totally foreign TO the spirit OF
our Government, and 10 the Constitution
right guaranteed to citizens OF the
| United States under the first article OF
above mentioned treaty has been with
held from tho applicants.
tionally and persis,ently broken faith
for more ihan forty years, Further
more, by imposing. upon our country
! the unjust discrimination Of race and
creed, il has added sffront to In
Justice. There remains only one alter
native 10 follow, that is: either have
Russia cease 10 offend or terminate the
| treaty she has trampled under foot The
| gain In the latter event will be soif-
respect and the approval OF our con-
| science.
AS TO the other course suggested, to
walt till President Taft will announce
his position In the matter after the hoi-
days, such suggestion was ably met by
Senator Cuberson, who explained that
this would defer action Till 1914. Now,
| delay and elaboration are often neces-
had too much OF this policy OF procras-
| tination and it is high time 10 settle the
| controversy once and for good.
With the hope that 7 have presented
requesting YOU TO allow space for the
same in your paper. beg 10 remain,
Yours very truly.
JOSEPH HDNESH,
Rabbi OF Congregation Monteriore
The general situation with respect
TO Russia 8 bad faith with regarl. TO
the treaty of 1892 is fairly stated in
the above; and still we do not see that
it answers the questions "What next
What will come after the abrogation?'
barred from Russia. and American in
terests there, which are very great.
will suffer ana inevitably enter upon
decline, The theory of those who
seek TO have this treaty abrogatei
doubtless is that Russia viii "come
to time oh this matter pending the
notice of abroeation and the time
when the abrogation will take effect,
say one wear. In that year 1T is, no
doubt, expected that Russia will take
"the sober second thought - and agree
TO now treaty which will copccde the
A Il ~ PIT !,
fuses to enforce the old treaty which is
plain and explicit in terms, what rca-
son is there TO expect that she would
enforce a new treaty any better? But,
first Of all, what reason is there TO
suppose that Russia would agree to
any new treaty? Non.ntcrcourse be-
tween the United States and Russia
would be a calamity to many Ameri-
cans and 10 MANY Russians, but that
| calamity is ono which. so far as we
can see, the Government Of Russia
would be likely to bear with equanimity
rather than concedc the point which
we insist upon.
We have been inclined to wait the
diplomacy Of President Taft in this
matter, and still think that would be
the best thing 10 do. But, ueverthc.
Ices, our self-respect and dignity
would be salvel by the sbroeation of
treaty which the other party 30 that
treaty refuses TO enforce; ana there is
undoubtedly something in that view.
STILL, It does not answer the question,
"Wbat cure Of the evil could be ex-
pected by the abrogation Of the
treaty?'
Heavy shipments of cotton are being
made abroad. partly to relieve the clut