The Washington herald., 1913-11-07
CLERGY OF u. 5.
PROTEST AGAINST
TRIAL OF BEILISS
Remarkable Petition Asks
Gar to Confirm Ukase
Of Alexander |.
IMPOSITION OF INJUSTICE
Appeal Returned by State Depart
ment and Then Sent to Rus
sian Embassy Here.

\ remarkable petition addressed to the
Car Of all the Russias was presented 10
the State Department yesterday. It was
signed by about thirty-ive Of the lead
ing clergymen and officials Of Christian
denominations in the United States, and
protested against the ritual murder trial
OF Mendel Beiliss, the Jew, at Kien.
This remarkable document prays the
Car to avert a grave peril and forestail
the possibility of an imposition of inius-
tlce upon the entire Jewish people The
petitioners ask the Gar to confirm the
ukase Of his ancestor, Alexander i, who
sought to destroy for all time the innpu-
tauon that the Jews require Christian
blood for ritual purposes.
This petition was presented to the State
Department with a request that it be
transmitted to the Gar Secretary BRYAN
and other officials of the department
considered the matter for some time. but
hnally decided that the department could
NOT act In this matter. The representa-
i've OF the, petitioners was informed that
the Russian government had taken the
stand that it would not accept documents
of this character.
sent to Embassy.
The petition then was returned by the
petitioners to the Russian Embassy.
What disposition the Russian Ambassa-
dor will make of the document was not
disclosed last night 1t is doubtful IL he
will transmit it to the Car.
The news that Russia would decline to
receive petitions and resolutions in re-
gard to the ritual murder trial was re-
ceived with interest. No explanation was
made by the State Department as to
Russia's attitude
1t was recalled that the Russian gov
ernment informed the United States dur
ing President Roosevelt's administration |
that 1t would not receive a protest from |
American citizens in regard to the Kish- 4
ineff massacres
President Roosevelt circumvented these
objections. to the great displeasure of the
Russian officials, by having the Ameri-
can Ambassador read the protest to them
IN the form Of an inquiry as to whether
II was a document that would come un-
deC the bane There is little likelihood
that. any such heroic course Will be
adopted by Secretary Bryan.
Petition to CEar.
TO his imperial majesty, Nicholas III
the Car of all the Russias.
Sire: As the representatives of va
nous Christian denominations of the
I Cnited States Of America, irrespective
OF creed, we unite, in the name of our
sacred faith, in an appeal to YOU, that
the charge of ritual murder aginst the
Jew, Mendel Beiliss, now on trial az
kieff, be withdrawn. because of the un-
told evils to the cause of humanity
which may follow from its further pros
ecution-
I'VE are convinced that the blood ac-
cusation against the Jews, which has
been made sporadicaily, is as unfounded
as was the same accusation which. as
history shows, was frequently directed
against the early Christians. 1t has been
to the most careful investiga-
ton for centuries, and no evidence war
-anting the slightest credence has ever
been discovered, and it has been rejected
IS unworthy of serious consideration both
Dy church and by state. Bulls were is
sued by four popes-Innocent ", Paul