The Republican., 1938-12-01
HISTORY is REPEATED
IN PLIGHT OF THE JEWS
Today 1t Is Hitler Who Gusts
Them; "a Centuries Ago 1t
Was RemeSeS III.

from Germany it will be just one more
mass migration in the history of race
that has known the scourge and the
sword for thirty-four centuries.
Today Adolph Hitler wields the
scourge. Thirty-four centuries ago it
was Rameses II of Egypt. In between
dozens of conquerors and rulers have
tried their hands. And the Jews them
selves, when not fighting or fleeing,
have let quantities of Jewish blood
by feuds within the family. 1t was
war of Jew against Jew about the
time of Christ that hastened the de-
struction of Jerusalem and the ban
ishment and enslavement of the peo-
pie.
Various Reasons Given
There have been various reasons
for the secutions-religious, eco
nomic, political and now racial. FIRE.
quently it has been a result of the
Jews multiplying rapidly, amassing
wealth and attaining power. In many
periods of history there has been little
sympathy for non-conformist groups
who kept to themselves and to their
own religion.
But whatever the explanations, one
of the great phenomenons of history
has been the continuity of Jewish his
tory under adverse conditions.
First Persecution In Egypt
1t is obscure who first oppressed
Israel, historians say, but subjugation
came to them after the Pharoahs gave
them permission to Craze their f1ocks
in Egyptian territory.
Biblical tradition holds that they
struggled to positions of some wealth
and power and became too numerous
to suit ruling Egyptians. The first
born of every Jewish family was soon
marked for death to keep down the
birth rate, and finally the Israelites
were driven back across the wilder
ness, possibly during the reign of Re-
meses II.
Then followed the bloody conquests
of the other tribes of Palestine. Before
Jewish ancient history was completed
all this ancient land, including Jerusa-
lem, was nominally under their sway.
In Jerusalem, the great ancient tenn
pie was built. Palestine became the
crossroads of the world.
Harassed By Kings
Even though the Jews held local
power, they were harassed by distant
kings. Egypt, Babylonia, Greece,
Syria, Persia and finally Rome de-
manded tribute as the price of peace
and freedom to worship.
The second persecution of the Jews
came from Babylonia, about 500
years before Christ. Many Jews were
forced to work as slaves.
Jerusalem was then restored and
the Jewish empire rebuilt; but civil
strife cut the advance short. The Syr-
ian, Antiochus, interpreted one civil
war as a revolt, moved in his army,
reduced Jerusalem and took advantage
of the ancient Jewish rule forbidding
fighting on the Sabbath.
IL 900 Jews Murdered
About 11,000 Jews allowed them
selves to be murdered by the Syrian
soldiers. After that the Sabbath ban
was removed.
The great Judas of pref Christian
times then appeared to reconquer Je-
rusalem for the Jews and rebuild the
temple.
Outside, the Romans were marching
to world conquest, and when Pompey
and his Roman legions appeared in
Damascus, two rival brothers pre-
sented their case to him. He nomi-
mated one to rule as a vassel prince.
But, as this did not stop the bloodshed,
he captured the city. Some 10000 Jews
perished in the ensuing massacre, and
Rome became master of Jerusalem.
Within a few years some 10000 Jews
had been enslaved.