New-York tribune., 1918-01-23
Persecution by the Persa,,,t.l

10 the Editor of The Tribune.
olr' May say few words in renlv to tbs
letter of DR.. Boeslaw Lapowski which ON
peared in your columns on Januarv ~ NJ
Lapowski takes exception to an article =.
titled "The Jewish Commonweal+b ,, -. n.
Moses Caster, chief rabbi OF the snar;sL ..s
Portuguese Jews of Great Britain n LIZ
article. DR.. Caster urges that immiqrsn+s >,
ralestine be possessed of money, education
ana 1echnlcal skill,' and that the impecn.
Nous and unskilled elements be discouragea
from migrating to Palestine until such t;ms
as they shall represent an economic asset
rather than burden to the new comm, nitv
III reference to the large Jewish population
OF Poland (only IA per cent, as DR.. Lapowski
hastens to reassure those of US who have the
future OF Poland at heard, Dr.. Caster not
unnaturally demands that the prospective
cltlzens OF the Jewish commonwealth be-
treated as Jewish subjects of Poland and not
as follsn Jews, contending that they will be-
come patriots and superpatriots" owing al
leglance to the country in which they will
I'VE as citizens, and spiritual allegiance to
the new centre of the Jewish spirit in the
land of their fathers
This suggestion Dr. Lapowski brands as
AN 1nlqulty. both On account of the unfair
ness and injustice to the Polish people and
on account Of the immoral advice to the Pol
lsh Jew 1t strikes me that this criticism
comes with peculiarly bad grace from Pole
who, despite his American citizenship. is
vltally concerned with the national rehabi.
tatlon of his people. Surely Dr. Lapowski
does not consider himself deficient in patrio
tism tor this country, nor would any one but
cnauvlnlsuc crank consider him so.
NO nation stepped in wellbeing and AFRO
gance has prosecuted the Jew more cruelty
than the prosecuted Pole. Socially econom-
cally, politically, the Polish Jew has had to
suffer, and still suffers. 1t is all very we'll for
Dr. Lapowskl to sentimentalze over the Po-
llsh Jews who mot only live in Poland, but
are OF Poland, and will remain in large ma
Jorlty in the land of their forefashers' birth
and share the destiny of the Polish nation"
Does Dr. Lapowski, nationalist though he be,
counsel the Jews to merge with the other
peoples and renounce their claims to national
entity! Does he, in defiance of every eco
rom'c consideration, insist that the Jews be
hurled pellmell into Palestine, which is
small and undeveoped country?
Fortunately the Polish Jews are just as
anxious to remember their racial origin as
tneir Poilsh compatriots-to use euphems-
TIC term-are to remind them OF it, The
large majority is not forgetful of It's self
ASSPo>e 'Oi VI tne respect tfat Is due IL iron.
others, but through these years Of untold
sufferings has worked ceaselessly for the
realization of the Jewish national hope.
Perhaps DR.. Lapowski noticed statement
headed Jews Demand Real Reforms in Po'
land" in The Tribune of Tuesday last. 1t
seems that the Jewish leaders and members
OF municipal councils in comforting with the
Polish Ministers of Justice and Social Al
1alrs demanded that eNpulsions of Jews from
villages cease, that the double tax for hospi-
tails demanded of Jews be abolished etc The
ministers replied that the emigration of Jews
from Poland seemed desirable, and asked the
leaders whether they would cooperate III such
project. Let US hope that a scheme for the
gradual transferrence of the Jewish masses
from Poland to Palestine will, with the in
dorsement of the Polish authorities obtain
the sanction of DR.. Lapowsk
NELLIE STRAUS.
Brooklyn, JAM Is, 1918