The Denver Jewish news., 1920-01-28
SOCIALISM AND JEWS
Bx 1osEpII 1EYENsoN

cialist Doctrine In New York, prepared
by Special Committee of the National
Republican Club composed of Joseph
Levenson. Elmer E. Cooley, and Charles
Park.)
The part played by men and women
of Jewish blood in the spread of So
cialism and Bolshevism thruOnt the
world has attracted wide attention. Ac-
cordipg to some newspaper accounts,
every Bolshevist in Russia is Jew
or every Jew is a Bolshevist In our
own country the activity of some Jews
in the spread OF Socialism has caused
comment among all classes. One of
the peculiarities of Socialism is that
its chief exponents are atheists and
have broken away from all religious
ties, and this fact alone puts the
great mass of Jews in opposition TO
the movement, for belief in God is as
Jewish today rs it was when prOclaim-
ed by them at Sinai. TrOlsky in Rus
sia, while of Jewish stock, long ago
disowned his people and his faith.
Practically all the other leaders thru
ont the world who We're born Jews are
of his type. Lenine in Russia and
the great majority of the Socialist
Rolshevist leaders, however, are peo-
pie of Christian birth.
To understand the reasons for the
interest of some Jews. particularly
Russians, in the Socialist movement.
1t is necessary to understand the con,
Il t.fo oip,tp 70 In,
Russia, in Germany and in Austria.
and which date back centuries ago to
Poland before its dismembernent and
to the old Russian Empire, which now
includes the territory of new Poland,
Lithuania, Ukraine, as we'll as Ru
mania and Austria. All these coun-
tries have record of centuries of
intlescribable misery for their Jewish
residents and of persecution un-
paralleled in the annals of any race
since the beginning of recorded his
tory. The nobility of Poland of old
succeeded in completely subjugating
these people. policy continued in
later years by the royalty and bu-
reaucracy of Russia and Rumania.
Trade, manufacturing. farming and the
professions were barred to the vast
ma ajOrity because of fear of cOmpeti
tiOm Secular education of Jews was
restricted to very limited number,
never exceeding three per cent of the
total Jewish population. and who
mainly came from the wealthy. A
comparatively small number of Jews
were permitted to become tax cOllec-
tors. usurers. distillers and liquor deal
ers, and these were generally required
to divide their gains with those who
gave them authority. This resulted in
tile growth OF the power and influence
of a limited number Of Jews because
of their relations with the reigning
rulers and the wealth that they were
able to accumulate. but ii brought mis-
cry and suffering to the great mass
of their co-religionists because of the
envy and Jealousy created among the
ignorant peasantry and tradesmen. who
held all the Jews responsible for the
conditions created thru the favor shown
smnll number by their noblemen and
rulers.
OF course nll Jews were denied po-
litical antl' civil rights. Religious in
tolerance accompanied by persecution
was the general rule. Centuries of these
conditions produced poverty of the
Jewish masses beyond description and
resulted in political and social In
equalities which brought on feeling
Of intense bitterness against all the
governing classes and antagOnism to
the limited number of wealthy men
among them. This bitterness against
their own wealthy was even carried
within the portals of the synagogs.
Conditions began to improve slight
ly after the middle of the nineteenth
century. From the limited number of
those able to receive secular educa-
tion there arose leaders who began to
urge emigration of their brethren to
other lands so as to escape the suffer
Ing that was their lot. This emigra-
tion was hastened by massacres of
dreadful proportions called pOgrOms
at about this time Socialism began to
make headway thruOut Europe. The
doctrine of equality, brotherhood, in
dustrial and political freedom appealed
with tremendous force to these people,
the leaders. Here at last
was a program which would recognize
them and their people as human beings,
giving to them the same political and
Industrial opportunities, even in Rus