South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-04

for the Jewish soldiers on all the fronts. fric-
tion with, sometimes assassination by, their
comrades; TO the weakening Of the Russian
army and the Allied cause; and IN Jewish
towns renewed plunderings and burnings OF
houses progroms, explosions, violations OF
women
And yet | do not despair For all the in-
tellgent classes in Russia have now discov-
cred that in the Jews Russia possesses a COM
mercial asset more valuable than all her oil
wells, and If the Germans are not TO come
back. the Jews must be given a free hand
and free fOot-tn developing Russia for the
common wealth. | may regret. much
Stephen Graham, the passing Of the old Rus
STA with its idyllic ignorance. simple piety
and village socialism, but Russia Is too rich a
territory TO remain unexpected and the Ger
mans were fast changing IL INTO modern in
dustrial state. And all the commercial
classes of Holy Russia are now clamoring for
the Pale OF Settlement to be abolished. The
Zemtsvos or agricultural communities OF the
Empire. and the Congress of the towns like
wise echo the cry. The very Cossacks demand
an import of Jews into their undeveloped dis
trcts-indeed, Jews are by no means unpopu-
Ter among the Russian peasantry; on the con-
trary, Russia is the only country where Judaism
gains converts, the Saturdayites and the
Israelites, who stricter than the Jews
proper.
/ must not deny that besides the commercial
demand there is also idealistic demand
indeed, this was plain from the speeches |
nave quoted. A very nODle and SLdIeSudnllh6
Dro-Jewish manifesto was published by the in
telligentsia-in Russia no less than in England
he intellectual classes understand politics bet
ter than the Cabinet classes. The novelists
Gorky, Andreyev and Mereshkovsky are the
chief contributors to book just Issued. called
THE Shield" which declares that the treat
ment of the Jews is the dishonor of Russia.
quote some detached sentences from Gorky's
Introduction.
"It is a heavy task-one feels painfully awl
educated
people: BE human. Hatred toward the Jews is
purely geological or pathological The Jews
are human beings and therefore they must be
free-as all others are. So much has been said
Of the glorious, broad, beautiful Russian soul
One begins to ask despairingly where really is
its breadth, its strength, its beauty? The
situation of the Jews in Russia is ignominy
20 Russian culture: II is result OF our negli-
gence toward ourselves. 1t is our conscience
that is blotted by the poison of calumny, the
tears and blood of numberless pogroms. The
Jews are more European than we, for to begin
with, the feeling OF respect TO labor and to
human life is more developed In them l ad-
mire the spiritual struggle of the Jewish peo-
pie their sturdy idealsm, their unsuitable be-
lief in the victory OF good over evil and in the
possibilities OF happiness on earth. The Jews
are the old and powerful yeast of mankind
They have always elevated it's spirit, bringing
new and stirring noble thoughts and calling
forth strivings after the better things. We
Russians might and can learn much from the
Jews"
In this spirit block composed OF groups or
the Duma and Imperial Council of all parties
except the extreme right and the extreme left
has long demanded the complete abolition OF
all Jewish ualifcations-indeed, there is
majority for this demand in both houses.
What great work can be accomplished" asked
orator In the Duma, what great problem
solved by nation in which millions of citizens
are treated as slaves and pariahsP Even the
bureaucracy with touch Of right feeling has
educational restrictions
Of the relatives of soldiers at the front. On
every side the rotten fencing OF the pale is
giving way OF itself-at one brave knightly
0last from Sir Edward Grey's horn il would
collapse like the walls of Jericho. Even the
Poles are beginning to bethnk themselves.
In Warsaw under the mitigated afliction OF
the Kafser's rule. they are cooperating with
the Jews IN keeping public order