The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-03-04
BY Israel ZanewtH
The oistIneulsh.d Playwright Leader Of "Zensm"

for the Jewish soldiers all the fronts. fric-
ton with. sometimes assassination by their
comrades TO the weakening OF the Russian
army and the Allied cause. and in Jewish
towns renewed piunderings and burnings OF
houses. progroms. explosions. violations Of
women
And yet do not despair For all the In
telligent classes in Russia have now discov-
cred that in the Jews Russia possesses com
mercial asset more valuable than all her oil
wells, and II the Germans are not 10 come
back. the Jews must be given a free hand
and a free foOt-in developing Russia for the
common wealth. / may regret. as much as
stephen Graham, the passing OF the old Rus
STA with It's idyllic ignorance. simple piety
and village socialism. but Russia is too rich a
territory to remain unexpected and the Ger
mans we're fast changing IL INTO a modern in
dustrial state. And so 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. ana the Congress OF the towns like
wise echo the cry. The very Cossacks demanc
an import OF Jews into their undeveloped dis
trcts-indeed. Jews are by no means unpopu-
lar among the Russian peasantry: on the con
trary. Russia IS the only country where Judaism
gains converts. the Saturdaytes and the new
lsraelites, who are stricter than the Jews
proper.
| must not deny that besides the commercial
demand there is also an idealistic demand
indeed, this was plain from the speeches /
have quoted. very noble and statesmanl Ike
pro-Jcwish manifesto was published by the in
telligcntsia-in Russia no less than in England
the Intellectual classes understand politics bet.
ter than the Cabinet classes The novelists
Gorky, Andreyev and Mereshkovsky are the
chief COutri butOrs 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.
1T is heavy task-one feels painfully awlt.
ward; suggesting TO grown-up and educated
people. BE human. Hatred toward the Jews is
purely geological or pathological The Jews
are human beings and therefore they must be
irCe-as all others are. SO much has been said
OF the glorious broad beautiful Russian soul
one begins tO ask despairiugiy where really is
Its breadth. its strength. its beauty? The
situation OF the Jews in Russia is an .gnominy
20 Russian culture: It is result OF our negli
Eence toward ourselves. II Is our conscience
that Is b.otted boy the poison Of caIumny the
tears and blood of uumberless pogroms The
Jews are more European than We. for to begin
with. the feeling of respect to labor and 10
human life a. more developed In them. / ad-
mire the spiritual struggle OF the Jewish peo-
pie. their sturdy idcalism. their uushakable be-
lief ia the victory OF good over eyi! and in the
possibilities OF happiness on earth. The Jews
are the old and powerful yeast OF mankind
They have always elevated its spirit, bringing
new and stirring noble thoughts and calling
forth new striViuss after the better things. We
Russians might and can learn much from the
Jews"
Doc this spirit block composed OF groups OF
the buma and Imperial Council OF all parties
except the extreme right and the extreme left
has long demanded the complete abolition OF
'.t Jt"i0u Q4elutlucdtlOus indeed. there IS a
majority for This demand 90 both houses.
What great work can be accomplished" asked
an orator IN the Duma. what great problem
solved by nation IN which millions Of citizens
are treated as slaves and pariahs2' Even the
bureaucracy with touch OF right feeling has
abolished the educational restrictions 10 favor
Of the relatives OF soldiers az the front. ON
every side the rotten fencing OF the pale g.
giving way Of itsef-at one brave kuightIy
blast from SIR Edward Grevs horn % would
collapse ike the walls OF Jericho Even the
Poles are beginning tp bofhiuk themselves.
Iu Warsaw. under the W.tigatcd afIIctIon Of
fno kaisor's rule they are cooperating with
the Jew iu keeping public order.