The Denver Jewish news., 1922-12-20
MARTYR FORGOTTEN
BY HIS OWN PEOPLE
Mendel Bells, Who Mind Years Ago
Was Called Israei's Martyr. Sirug-
Cling in New York, Tires of Being
Public Charge-Goes Ints Printing
Busines 10 Earn LiveliiOd.
Rv ZEN AMrNAH

i.nHllS1 EulioI VI sItNlFil NtiNNAiNhi.'
l.. is very often said that II nation
never forgets its heroes or martyrs.
True as THIS fact may he it is not Il
fact in every case Every rule has ex
ceptions and the exception to this rule
is MENDEL BELLS.
1t was in 1913. The world was then
peaceful. No one dreamed that the
following year civilization would lie
SET back by .hc greatest war in his
tory. Governments now thriving did
not exist then. Mighty empires de
siroyed by the war We're then seem
ingly impregnabie. Europe WAS more
tranquil than it is today. But Oh the
rast of the great Europe was the
WAS more misery than could be found
In the rest of the world. Here human
beings were subjected 10 the worst
servitude imaginable in modern times.
Life was insecure More than all
others. our JEWISH brethren suffered.
They were forced TO live in ''pales."
They were kept out of schools. they
were oppressed. Many of you reading
this article can remember those days.
Il memory means anything mt all the
cruetics then perpetrated against the
Jewish people are still fresh in the
minds OF the thousands who have come
To this country since. Those of you
who remember. think. Those who
don't, listen.
In 1913 the world was suddenly
aroused by startling piece of news
which came from Eiev, Russia. Men
del Bcilis jew Of Kiev, was arrested
for the murder of Christian boy and
;hcrgeti with. hlyilg comni- ed 'h'
rime FOR rifsal pfrposas. This IA
he content o. thc saws. THIS is w'ia'
attracted fhc tention of the VIII lie
world in 1913.
Why the Whole World Was Interested.
If this had been an ordinary murder
the whole world would probably never
have heard about it. But this was
not an ordinary MURDER Behind it
was the honor of a whole t'opie. The
lives of six million human beings
we're in danger. If Mendel Beilis had
ben found guilty, God only knows
what would have happened to our
brethren in Russia. II Mendei Bells
had been found guilty the ignorant
Russian peasants would he melted 10
massacre.
A murder was committed. \ little
boy was hcartlessly killed and Mendel
BELLS was arrested for the crime. CIV
ing az the motive the ridiculous CON
tcntion that the Jews ned Christian
FLOOD for the Passover celebration.
1t was the ridiculous motive which
attracted the attention of the whole
world The world at large was not
concerned with the murder but they
werd curious to know how russian
court and jury wculd act in this case.
Civilization knew that Jews did not
use blood-that the very thought of 1T
was repulsive to the Jewish people.
Civilization knew these things but 1T
scmed that II Judge and jury of dark
Russia did not know. They wanted
to he convinced that it was not So
When everything loked dark and
gloomy for unfortunate Mendel Bells
tho whole world sent up . shout or
protest which virtually pierced the
ears of every juror. le seemed as IL
Geilis would be railroaded. He would
he convicted. But civilization spoke
and the Russian court dared not turn
a deaf ear. Mendel Bells was ac-
lnitted. the honor of n whole nation
was saved He was hailed as "A martyr
in Israel. And he truly was a martyr
From the time. he was arrested until
lie fled from Russia to save his life
he was maltreatcd and bounded, only
because he was II Jew.
He suffered not because he was
Mendel Bells. He languiShed in
prison because he was a jew. As Il
Jewish martyr he attracted worldwide
attention. He was pitied and honored.
He was laudcd and prasied. This was
only Immediately after the acquittal.
Since then lie has been forgotten.
Broken and penniless. he left Russia
in fact lie had to smugle his way
out. to go to Palestine. His wife and
children soon followed him. But his
sufferings We're not over. The martyr
and his family were in dire need. The
hero of n nation now became puhlic
charge, depending on the good will Of
charity Bcilis did not want t0 remair
a public charge. Ee wanted % svp