The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04

resolutc and so confused. is based
entirely and solely upon the Jewish
question and the bloody eNcesses
Take away from Russia these eX-
cesses, leave even the anti-scmit'sn
but in the outwardly decent forms In
which the backward rows of Europe
are living through It, and at once
VIC will become very decent Europeans,
no longer barbarians and Asiatics
whose place is beyond the Ural Noun
tsins. This IL a fact which becomes
ever more apparent and Is emphasized
every day by the war.
OF course. we are far behind from
cultural point OF view. Our In
dustrial and economic life Ia too poorly
developed, our sense Of citizenship Ia
not cultivated and in all forms Of our
life It Is felt that we have not quite
come out of the shell. But we are
young. we are only beginning and
have already done much for the people
who but fifty years ago abolished
serfdom. In the worst case the fair
European can reproach us only for
possessing too little culture,
But pronounce the word Jew" with
the word Russian" and I at once
become q barbarian. a backward and
terrible man who brings cold and
darkness to bright Europe. I'm
mediately they begin to hate mo in
America, to despise me In England and
France: with the swiftness Of theatre
cal transformations I change from a
countryman Of Tolstoy into the native
brother OF those who drive nails into
human heads--I am . savage. And
even the German anti-semite, a dull
and insignificant creature, looks down
upon me and warns England: Look
out. see with whom you are going
They are the same who"
"who profits from the fact that
Europe hates. despfses and fears me7"
asked myself In despair. feeling how
my accused hunch grows to largo
proportions in the European sun and
obstructs tho light that comes from
tho EaN and in which the faugued
and elderly West would like 10 be-
iieve. Who needs It that I. as one
spat upon. should roam about among
the cultured nations. avoiding to call
myself a Russian. seeking to secure
ironical bows? Barbar!anl Barbarian!
Tho war has opened the eyes OF
the world TO many things and therein
lies for us Russians the sad good
fortune Of this war. Now when Ger
many condemns France and England
for their alliance with the Russian
bArbarians who; when the Allies,
leaning upon our elemental power. are
trembling with doubts and fear behind
the scenes Of their loud sympathies-
am beginning to guess who has
profited by this. who needs that we
should remain alone with our barhar-
ism among European Powers. That
which is our misfortune becomes the
good fortune Of our neighbor, Ger
many, with her tried friendship TO
which Wilhelm referred loudly from
the balcony Of MS palace.
AS barbarians we are only splendid
market for German dead and live
goods. 1000 900 head OF sheep to be
shorn: while as a cultured nation we
are a power dangerous to their dream
Of universal ACKNOWLEDGMENT. And the
Jewish question with the excuses and
the nails in the head--that IL tho
trump which has always been kept
by our honest &c man neighbor and
thrown at the proper time upon the
green table. He was right from his
point OF view Of German gambler.
To him sentimentalism and simple
honesty are alien-but We Why
have We drained this bitter cup? Los
ing respect for ourselves. having no
faith In our power. m!serahly deprav-
Ing ourselves under conditions OF an
unnatural existence, forclbly diminish
ing by Tho norm" tho number OF our
educated and cultured people--that Is
indeed the game Of the devil himself
Our entire people danced The Dance
Of Fools" which was given but short
while ago under the gu'se " play
OF Russian life with such success on
the Berlin stage.
We must not forget the violent
Polish anti-Semitism which Is now
frightening us 90 much and which is
hinderlng so much the work II the
new structure and the cold Finnish
anti . mitIsm, whose full force we do
not know as yet. These are hut the
logical development of the ahsurditS
at the bottom OF it all, its natura
and poisonous fruits.
May ! be forgiven because at this
grave hour for the Jewish people
am deliberately speaking, not or thc.I
suffer!ngs, but Of ourselves repeat
for me the Jewish question has neye
been a question. and | do no, fee
the need of justfy!ng the newly pro
posed measures in their behalf by. re
| ferring to the hcroism of tho Jews 4
defending Russia, to their tragic
! loyal love for Russia, 20 prove one
| again and again that the jew IL ais
a human being would mean not onl!
to bow too low before an sbsurditl
| but TO insult those whom we low
| and respect. And II ! persistent!
| continue to speak of myself and o
my sufferngs il is not individual ego
| ism. nor even coarse class cgosm-i
| Is the cXcusable cgolsm Of who'll
people which has too long played I
] miserable role upon the stage Of Eu
1 rope, and which. fully conscious, re
| nouncing to-day the sufferings of yes
| lerday. at the dawn of new days |
seeking an opportunity --only the op
portunity--of respecting itself,
Yes, we are still barbarians; we ar
still distrusted by the Poles We ar
| still a dark terror FOR Europe, an I'm
fathomed danger to her culture, bu
We do not want to be all this an
longer. We are yearnlng for purt
ana reason. our rags are too hedN
upon US. The trag.c love of the jew
| for Russia In euualled hy our OW