Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-04-28
JEWS AND THE WORLD
WAR


its administration as a Jewish home
land renews interest in the part
played by Jews in the late war and
how the war affected them. In a
communication to the National Geo
graphic society, former President VIII
liam Howard Taft says:
"One-half the Jews of the world
have had to bear its miseries, it's cruel
ties, its sufferings. They lived in the
theater of war between Russia and
Germany and Austria. In this region,
almost without ceasing, the campaign
continued. The Russians laid waste
the country in order to embarraSs
their pursuing enemies, and between
the two armies the population, of
which the Jews were a large part, suf-
fered untold horrors.
"As soon as the war came on, as
soon as notifications were initiated,
Germany and Austria, On the one
hand, and Russia, on the other, Wed
with each other in a cultivation Of
the goodwill Of the Poles and the Jews.
Russia promised that an autono-
nous Poland would be created from
all three of the incomplete tribal dis
tricts of the partitiOned kingdom.
Some of the leaders of the Austrian
government announced an intention of
giving autonomy to Galicia.
when the war came to an end,
tremendous governmental changes oc-
Cured in the countries where the Jews
are so greatly congested,
"The dreadful destruction Of life,
the necessity for rehabilitation of
these countries where the war ragged
| with such violence and destruction,
| must necessarily give greater economic
value to every man who survives.
The loyalty which the Jews have
shown to their respective governments
in these countries under a most try
ing ordeal ought to impress their gov
ernments with the claim that they
| make to equal treatment.
eff education and opportunity and
freedom and equality are extended to
them in the next generation, the traits
to which objection has sometimes
been made will become less and less
conspicuous, and Russia's great do
main, which needs people of energy,
people Of keenness, people of enter
prise, people experienced in trade, peo-
pie Of financial genius, will find a
benefit in the presence of the Jews.
From the East End of New York
and through centers Of population in
this country where Jews are gathered,
by the million and hundreds of thou
sands, come the youth Of the race
who soon manifest a spirit of Amer
icanism and get on.
'They cultivate little or no sOlidar-
ity in politics, and they manifest a
disposition to disintegrate as a COM
munity. They retain a loyalty to the
race, but not strict adherence to the
ceremonial, and they intermaryy with
Gentiles.
1.-The Jews of the world, in countries
where they have had equal opportuni-
ties, have won their way not only to
great financial power, but to places
of commanding influence in journal
ism, in the professions, and in busi-
ness. They have retained always an
acute interest in the welfare of their CO.
religionists throughout the world. Their
religious training has inculcated in
them the duty Of charity to all-Jew
and Gentle.
1.-THE result of the war and the
breaking up of Russia and the giving
rein to the principle of self-deter-
mination of racial units have created
a number of independent European
states in central and eastern Europe.
Of these, the Baltic provinces and Po-
land, as well as the Czecho- Slovak
state and the Jugo-Slav state, have
many Jewish citizens. In addition to
this, the Greater Roumania, is an
other state which has many Jewish
citizens.
''The German treaty specifically pro-
vides that the five great powers shall
make future treaties with Poland and
with the Czecho-Slova1 state secur-
ing the religious liberties of the peo-
pie who constitute a minority in those