The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-03
AMERICAN JEWS SEE
NO HOPE IN RUSSIA
Year Book. Reviewing Bells
Case, Attacks Conditions in
Land of Car.
ISRAEL'S PROMISE HERE

The American Jewish Year Book for
le14-15. tho Jewish year 1875. which
was issued yesterday, Is given up in large
part to discussion of the Mendel BELLS
case In Ilieff, Russia. Herman Bern
stein, secretary of the American Jewish
committee, says in his preface:
1.-THE Belts affair was the darkest
tragedy in the life of the Jewish people
for many years. The forces OF the Rus
sian Empire consrircd against the Jew
ish people. an innocent Jew was tortured
In prison for two years and a half and
the entire Jewish people in Russia was
threatened with pogrom panlcs through
this political conspiracy. in the Bells
affair the Russian Gov ernments policy
OF cruel, militant anti-Scmitism reached
It's eliminating point. Just as the civil
lied world was shocked at the kishinef
massacres, 40 Il was again shocked when
the Russian Government revived the in
famous blood legend for the purpose OF
discreditng tho Jewish people and just-
flying new rnussacrcs.
The list Of events in Russia during
the past twelve months recorded IN this
volume reveals a painful state of affairs.
The sufferlugs and hupelcssncss OF the
Jews in the pale of Settlement are shown
In the simple records of ordinary hap
penugs. OF wholesale cNpulsions, Silent,
bloodless poRroms of new devices for
persecution, of the suppression of edu-
cation and OF the ritual murder delirium
with which the Russian Government
has poisoned the minds Of the Russian
masses"
In view IL tho reported honoriug Of
Jews IN the Russian armies, and the
future freedom for Jews Ia that country
I which many saw as result. the tol-
! lowing from the report on conditions In
! Russia Ia interesting
The condition of our brctheru in Rus
| STA remains practically as hopeless as
, last year Tho reacticnaries who desire
/ to deprive the Films. the Jews and other
! Constituent elements Of the empire or
] all interest In tho government commerce.
| industry and finance still determine the
course Of Russian affairs. TheN ar" DONG
/ all they can'to degrade this minority
and 10 stino lts development Last year
witnessed the usual calendar Of oppr's-
/ sive measures against the Jews
"Our unfortunate brethren were con-
/ tinually harricd and hadgcred ny re-
| strictions on their right ~ dom'cile, on
| enc few rights they have to enter trades
and nrof4ssions on the opportunities for
I INC education Of their children on their
rights ~ voters In tn" recent puma
I elections. ,. -.
I "All protests against these thurman re-
.trictioua We're suppressed newspaper .
/ which attempted TO speak out were COINS.
4 Gated or suspended and the editors nnto
/ ar irnurisoned The Government also l"-
| te-ferod even IN the communal analrs
/ a., our brethren, restricting them IN the
/ establishment OF school. synagogu"S' cnht-
table societies and cultural organiza-
tons" .-.. ,..,..
In ,naidnR plea for better Jg"ish re-
! lglous education IN TINS country III '"''''
/ Greensboro remarks
CIT 10 obvious even 10 the most super
| 6clal observer that the immediate tuture
| Of Israel VIII be I'm this glorious land' ina |
hither tho centre ~ Jewish activity VIII
soon he shifted, II " is not here dlr'aiN
What that future IL to be depends '"rt'F
[ OF Us Of the present generation.
"ItyIag In close relationship with "a
| highly civilized group OF humanity con
fronted ~ every step with institutions an"
I habits OF life that are foreign ana oIteI!
hostile to their own. constantly sur
| rounded 10y an atmosphr~o '1at breeds the
1 germs OF ass imitation tending TO destroy
I All racial aud national di-t,uctiven"Se, the
Jewish youth in this land must he pro-
vld.d with "A large fund of knowledge ne
/ must be trained with great care ana IN
oculated with the ettiCacious serum of
/ Jewish learning and Jewish feeling which
has always been the most potent means oi
vithstanding the dangers of cpidcmics OF
The problem with which American
Jewry Is now confronted T. nothing les
than the problem of tion--the
problem Of preserving the Jewish people
In Judaism IN N" now environment
Some interesting figures on Jewish pop
ulation are given From various reports
II is estimated that there are "3i9,I6i
Jews IN the United states, an increase OF
800 600 over the figures Of 1910
The Balkan wars brought about shift
ing of Jewish population To new Govern
ments Until the outbreak of hostilltic'
the Balkan states had no considerable
Jewish population, the report say, but
after the war Greece had ACQUIRED SOW
ereignty over 5000 Jews. Servn 1000
Bulgaria $4,000 and Rumania 5000. Th'
report laconicaly states that FOR sevcra
centuries the Jews of Turkey had livc'
peacefully under the tolerant sway of the
Ottoman Empire