Part 9

After stating that there were two diametrically opposed political systems, one current among the Allies and the other among the Germans, Baron Rosen continued:

“To the maximum injury of the true interests of Russia, we have adopted and have carried out unswervingly the true German system of politics with reference to our borderlands and the so-called foreign races and foreign faiths, a policy which has been made even more perfect by the admixture of medieval religious intolerance.

“It may be retorted that the fate of a campaign is decided by military power and not by the greater or lesser sympathy of neutral countries for the policy of a given state. The German Government does not think so; for otherwise it would not spend countless millions for pan-German propaganda in all the countries of the world, even the most remote. But we, on the other hand, not only fail to oppose anything to this propaganda, but by the course of our domestic policies we place in the hands of this propaganda powerful arguments for arousing against us public opinion of such countries as the United States, the only great neutral power, and of Sweden, our neighbor.

=“It is inconceivable that the framers of our policy should fail to realize that the propaganda directed against us, conducted under official auspices and equipped with the amplest resources, will scarcely cause our own interests and the interests of our Allies one-tenth of the harm which is caused to these interests by our attitude towards the Jewish population of Russia and our systematic violation of the legal conscience of the Finnish population—an attitude which smacks of the dark times of medievalism.=

“The question now is, why did not the Government find it possible to put an end to this problem decisively and forever, as it has finally, and, alas, with such delay, settled the question of the autonomy of Poland? This may be explained only by the fact that the Government hesitated to break with the traditional policy so dear to the militant nationalism.

“Accordingly the Duma and the Council are in duty bound to come to the aid of the Government in this regard and take upon themselves the initiative of introducing a bill for the abolition of all laws restricting the rights of the Jews and for the abrogation of the law of July 17 (30) concerning Finland. The passage of these measures would undoubtedly lighten the heavy task now confronting the Government in the sphere of international relations and it would be met by our valiant allies with the liveliest satisfaction.

=“We must remember that this great European war is not only a struggle of interests, but is also a struggle of ideas and principles. In the battle against German militarism, Russia has placed herself on the side of right and freedom, and for the triumph of the idea for which we are now fighting, it is necessary that in Russia, too, there should be no longer any people without rights or any people oppressed.”=

FOOTNOTES

[1] “Legal Sufferings of the Jews in Russia”; edited by Lucien Wolf. London, T. Fisher Unwin, 1912.

[2] Petrograd and Moscow.—Ed.

[3] Petrograd “Retch,” Aug. 8 (21), 1915.

[4] Petrograd “Retch,” Aug. 14 (27), 1915.

[5] This has reference to that section of the “Constitution” of 1905, which empowers the government to issue ministerial decrees while the Duma is not in session, but requires it to introduce corresponding legislation in the Duma within six months after the ministerial decree has been published.

[6] “Reform Advocate,” Nov. 13, 1915. (Tr. from the French).

[7] Quoted from “Retch,” Aug. 9 (22), 1915.

[8] “Retch,” Aug. 9 (22), 1915.

[9] “Evreyskaya Zhizn,” Oct. 25 (Nov. 7), 1915, Nov. 8 (21), 1915, etc.

[10] “Evreyskaya Zhizn,” Nov. 8 (21), 1915.

[11] Quoted from “Evreyskaya Zhizn,” Aug. 23 (Sept. 5), 1915, pp. 10–12.

[12] Quoted from “Retch,” Aug. 9 (22), 1915.

[13] See page 48.

[14] September 24 (Oct. 7), 1914.

[15] Friedlaender, “The Jews of Russia and Poland,” p. 38.

[16] _Ibid._, p. 57.

[17] “Rasviet,” December 5 (18), 1914, p. 12.

[18] George Brandes in “Politiken,” Nov., 1914.

[19] “Russkaya Viedomosti,” Oct. 2 (15), 1914, p. 20. “Novy Voskhod,” Oct. 2 (15), 1914, p. 21.

[20] “Novy Voskhod,” Sept. 22 (Oct. 8), 1914, p. 20.

[21] “Rasviet,” Dec. 5 (18), 1914, p. 18.

[22] “Rasviet,” March 29 (April 11), 1914, p. 20.

[23] “Politiken,” Nov. 1, 1914.

[24] “Rasviet,” April 12 (25), 1915, pp. 18–19; “Novy Voskhod,” April 10 (23), 1915, pp. 29–30.

[25] “Rasviet,” Jan. 25 (Feb. 7), 1915, p. 27.

[26] “Rasviet,” Feb. 1 (14), 1915, p. 39.

[27] “Rasviet,” Apr. 26 (May 9), 1915, p. 24.

[28] Quoted from “Retch,” May 10 (23), 1915.

[29] “Novy Voskhod,” Aug. 28 (Sept. 10), 1914, p. 22.

[30] “Novy Voskhod,” April 24 (May 7), 1915.

[31] “Nasha Slovo,” June 24, 1915.

[32] “Retch,” May 8 (21), 1915.

[33] “Evreyskaya Zhizn,” July 19 (Aug. 2), 1915, p. 42.

[34] Here is a list taken at random from an issue of “Rasviet,” April 5 (18), 1915, p. 34:

For saving a wounded Russian officer, presumably under fire, private B. M. O., of the village of Strumin, of Mohilef Government, was rewarded with the cross of St. George, fourth class.

Private S. Y. R. awarded cross of St. George, fourth class.

Private A. Kh. L., inhabitant of the village of Saxagan, of the Government of Ekaterinoslav, was awarded third and fourth grade crosses of St. George, and promoted to be sub-officer.

For delivering despatches from the Staff to his battalion under the enemy’s strong fire, private B. S. G. was awarded a medal of St. George and made a corporal.

Severely wounded and now in a hospital at Moscow, Abr. B. was awarded a silver medal which was handed to him by Orloff, Adjutant to his Imperial Majesty.

A long list of similar items is published in every issue of this paper.

[35] “Ziemia Lubelska,” April 23 (May 6), 1915.

[36] “Retch.” May 10 (23), 1915.

[37] “Evreyskaya Nedelya,” June 14 (27), 1915.

[38] “Evreyskaya Zhizn,” Aug. 9, 1915, p. 19–20.

[39] “Hajnt,” May 21 (June 3), 1915.

[40] “Evreyskaya Nedelya,” May 31 (June 13), 1915.

[41] “Evreyskaya Nedelya,” June 14 (27), 1915.

[42] “Retch,” Aug. 6 (19), 1915.

[43] “Rasviet,” January 4 (17), 1915, p. 31–2.

[44] July 5 (18), 1915, pp. 30–31.

[45] Stenographic report of the Proceedings of the Duma.

[46] “Novy Voskhod,” Dec. 30, 1914 (Jan. 12, 1915), p. 22–24.

[47] “Novy Voskhod,” Sept. 4, 1914, p. 15.

[48] “Novy Voskhod,” Aug. 14 (27), 1914, p. 24–25.

[49] “Novy Voskhod,” April 24 (May 7), 1915, p. 30.

[50] “Retch,” July 28 (Aug. 10), 1915; “Birzhevyia Viedomosti,” Aug. 26 (Sept. 8), 1915.

[51] “Rasviet”, Jan. 25 (Feb. 7), 1915.

[52] “Prikarpatskia Russ”.

[53] “Judisches Archiv,” p. 5.

[54] “Judisches Archiv,” p. 6.

[55] “Judisches Archiv,” p. 10.

[56] At moment of investigation.

[57] Besides the sums granted to the cooperative credit societies by the Jewish Colonization Association.

[58] Towards these expenses Russian Jewry has contributed a little over a million roubles.

[59] Baron Rosen was formerly Russian Ambassador to the United States.

* * * * * *

Transcriber’s note:

Obvious punctuation errors in the transcribed text have been corrected.

Other errors have been corrected as follows:

Page 3 – “Pittsburg” changed to “Pittsburgh”

Page 31 – “is it” changed to “it is” (rather it is like a rag thrown to the victim)

Page 43 – 3rd and 4th footnotes swapped to correspond with anchor ordering in text.

Page 57 – “Miliukov” changed to “Milyukov” (in the Duma by Professor Milyukov)

Page 59 – “Japenese” changed to “Japanese” (during the Japanese war)

Page 62 – “Evreiskaya Nedelya” changed to “Evreyskaya Nedelya” in footnote 37

Page 72 – “Miliukov” changed to “Milyukov” (Professor Milyukov, the leader of the Constitutional Democrats)

Page 98 – “lossses” changed to “losses” (terrible losses sustained)

Source material used in this book has been translated from a number of languages including Polish, Russian and Yiddish. Hence there are variations in the spelling of words and this is particularly apparent in the rendering of place names. The following variations in the spelling of words and place names have been left unchanged:

“Bialystock”, “Bialostock”

“Cholm”, “Kholm”

“Kehillas”, “Kehillah”

“Kielce”, “Kieltse”

“Liublin”, “Lublin”

“Lomza”, “Lomzha”, “Lomsha”, “Lomscha”

“Plotsk”, “Plotzk”

“Poltava”, “Poltawa”

“Rostov”, “Rostof”

“Volhynia”, “Volynia”

Archaic usage, unusual/inconsistent hyphenation, other variations that have been left unchanged:

“amid”, “amidst”, “among”, “amongst”, “anomolous”

“corn growing”, “corn-growing”

“court martial”, “court-martial”

“despatches”, “esthetic”, “feebleminded”

“ever growing”, “ever-growing”

“half naked”, “half-naked”

“inhabitated”, “inhabitating”

“manifestoes” (as the plural of “manifesto”)

“RUSSIAN-JEWISH RELIEF COMMITTEE”, “Russian Jewish Relief Committee”, “Russian Jewish Committee”, “Russian-Jewish Refugees”, “Russian Jewish soldiers”, “Russian Jewish Weekly”

“scare-crow”

“today”, “To-day”, “toward”, “towards”

A redundant column header in a table starting on page 107 and continuing on to page 108 has been removed. The two pages over which the table was spread no longer have a physical page break in this transcribed text. Thus there is no need to repeat the column header, which was at the top of the second (physical) page.

Footnotes have been re-indexed using numbers and collected together at the end of the book.

The cover image is a restored version using elements from the original cover and is placed in the public domain.