Text of Address of Theodore Roosevelt... John Hay's
Policy of Proceeding with Caution . . . Repetition of
Unfortunate Blunder of Hushing Up, Acting Too Late
from the day when the
of New York sup-
hid helped in every way,
-, ms, Washington and his
is republic—from that
A r no struggle, military
r - .dof been citizens of Jew-
!tient part for the honor
i delphia,
a Howard mentioning to
brigade conunanders upon
br
igade
(hal reliance were Jews.
Grand Army which I have
k ith peculiar vividness—a
Spices of the men of the
id, in the Temple in Forty-
au-El, to welcome the re-
'au-El,
panish-American War of
-I was myself in the army,
the regular regiments,
'sand who fought beside
/ commanders of the ships
e Cuban coast did so well
ent I promoted five men
d good conduct in battle.
ht for I knew nothing of
), ' -that these included two
and one Jew; and while
\was not without its value
Inc and religious make-up
fact that if a man is a
e ask, without thinking of
b
'-sa I was Police Commis-
perience after experience
Lan excellent work need-
I
t -r.ellent work of what I
pe—in the Police Depart-
acers of Jewish extraction.
ttle incident with a direct
of persecution for race
'nay possibly recall, I am
'York friends will recall,
Police Commissioner a
am sorry to say, a clergy-
Sh agitation in New York
of holding meetings to
.ght to my attention. Of
vent those meetings. After
letailed a Jewish sergeant
,-- 'arotect the agitator while
( tie made his speeches de-
\__ed exclusively by Jews,
A
,--- probably the very most
possibly be made to him,
ct lesson we could give of
ericans manage such mat-
If
another little example of
, an experience that I had
\__ while handling the Po-
--' lice Department and
that could have oc-
curred, I think, nowhere
else than in the United
States.
)
"There was a certain
man I appointed under
the following condi-
tions: I was attracted to
him by being told, on a
visit to the Bowery
branch of the Young
Tn's Christian Associa-
_,in, that they had a
young fellow there, a
Jew, who had per-
,-_,,formed a feat of great
d note in saving people
from a burning building
was just the type for a
lled up and told him to
`see if he could get there.
)has not only been an ex-
at once, out of his salary,
ounger brothers and sisters,
three of his old kinsfolk
the money he saved, and
1
I
(
amples of men who have
dministration of the Police
and in my regiment. In
my nearest social friends,
I have been closest in po-
2of Jewish faith and ex-
I have felt a degree of
rsonal horror of this dread-
In exist in the minds of any
.7es. Exactly as I should
/'
JEWISH NEWS
ay 1, 1964 21
claim the same sympathy from any one of you for
any tragedy that happened to any Christian people,
so I should hold myself unworthy of my present po-
sition if I failed to feel just as deep sympathy and
just as deep sorrow and just as deep horror over an
outrage like this done to the Jewish people in any
part of the earth. I am confident that much good has
already been done by the manifestations throughout
this country, without any regard to creed whatsoever,
of horror and sympathy over what has occurred.
"It is gratifying to know, what we would, of course,
assuine, that the Government of Russia shares the
feelings of horror and indignation with which the
American people look upon the outrages at Kishineff
and is moving vigorously not only to prevent their
continuance, but to punish the perpetrators. That
Government takes the same view of those outrages
that our own Government takes of the riots and lynch-
ings which sometimes occur in our country, but do
not characterize either our Government or our people.
"I have been visited by the Russian Ambassador
on his own initiative, and in addition to what has been
said to Secretary Hay, the Russian Ambassador has
notified me personally without an inquiry upon my
part that the Governor of Kishineff has been removed;
that between three and four hundred of the partic-
ipants in the outrages have been arrested; and he
voluntarily stated that those men would be punished to
the utmost that the law would permit.
"I will consider most carefully the suggestions that
you have submitted to me, and whether the now
existing conditions are such that any further official
expression would be of advantage to the unfortunate
survivors, with whom we sympathize so deeply.
Nothing that has occurred recently has had my more
constant thought, and nothing will have my more
constant thought than this subject.
"In any proper way by which beneficial action
may be taken, it will be taken, to show the sincerity of
the historic American position of treating each man
on his merits without the least reference to his
creed, his race or his birthplace."
In the instance of President Theodore Roosevelt,
as in that of his Secretary of State, there certainly
was sincerity of thought. But the fact remains that,
contrary to the assurances he had received from
the Russian Ambassador the latter's statement could
be likened only to the most arrogant, most shockingly
inhumane ever uttered. On May 18, 1903, Count Cas-
sini, the Russian Ambassador to the United States,
in spite of the contempt that was then expressed in all
free countries over Czarist Russian actions and the
Kishineff outrages, issued a long statement in which
he said in part:
"There is in Russia, as in Germany and Austria,
feeling against certain of the Jews. The reason for
this unfriendly attitude is found in the fact that
the Jews will not work in the field or engage in agri-
culture. They prefer to be money lenders. Give a
Jew a couple of dollars and he becomes a banker and
money broker. In this capacity he takes advantage of
the Russian peasant, whom he soon has in his power
and ultimately destroys. It is when the patience of the
peasant is exhausted that a conflict between peasants
and Jews occurs. Ordinarily the Russian is a patient
person, but it is only natural that he should entertain
a feeling of resentment for the one who has wrought
his ruin . "
That is how Russia reacted: it defended inhuman-
ity, tried to make the Jew the culprit, never ack-
nowledged that it was the ancient ritual murder libel
which served as the background for the Kishineff
massacre—a libel resulting from the death of a
wealthy Russian whose murderer, it was soon dis-
covered, was a relative of his who had hoped to
acquire his fortune.
Is it any wonder that Jacob H. Schiff and all the
leaders in all groupings of Jewish life should have
hoped that there would be an American protest
against the Kishineff horrors?
Mr. Schiff had to wait eight more years .before a
firm stand was taken by our Government against the
Russian inhumanities. It was in 1911 that Mr. Schiff
went to the White House to demand of President
William Howard Taft that he should act against Rus-
sia's refusal to recognize the rights of all American
citizens and not to discriminate against Americans of
the Jewish faith.
It was because an angry Mr. Schiff had refused
to accept vague promises or mere lip service to the
unqualified rights of all Americans regardless of
their faith, that Presdient Taft acted and abrogated
the treaty with Russia. One wonders what would have
happened to affect the entire course of history if the
Theodore Roosevelt-John Hay actions had been more
firm in 1903.
Another chapter in the tragic events that followed
the Kishineff pogrom ensued when Secretary Hay sent.
to Ambassador Ridele in St. Petersburg the following
memorandum:
"You are instructed to ask an audience of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs and to make him the fol-
lowing communication:
Excellency: The Secretary of State instructs me
to inform you that the President has received from
a large number of citizens of the United States, of
all religious affiliations and occupying the highest po-
sitions in both public and private life, a respectful
Petition addressed to his Majesty the Emperor, relat-
ing to the condition of the Jews and running as fol-
lows:
"To His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia:
"The cruel outrages perpetrated at Kishineff dur-
ing Easter of 1903, have excited horror and reproba-
tion throughout the world. Until your Majesty gave
special and personal directions, the local authorities
failed to maintain order or suppress the rioting. The
victims were Jews and the assault was the result of
race and religious prejudice. The rioters violated the
laws of Russia.
"The local officials were derelict in the perform-
ance of their duty.
"The Jews were the victims of indefensible law-
lessness.
"The facts are made plain by the official reports
of, and by the official acts following, the riot.
"Under ordinary conditions the awful calamity
would be deplored without undue fear of a recur-
rence. But such is not the case in the present in-
stance. Your petitioners are advised that millions of
Jews, Russian subjects, dwelling in Southwestern
Russia, are in constant dread of fresh outbreaks.
"They feel that ignorance, superstition and bigotry,
as exemplified by the rioters, are ever ready to
persecute them; that the local officials, unless there-
unto specially admonished, cannot be relied on as
strenuous protectors of their peace and security;
that a public sentiment of hostility has been engen-
dered against them and hangs over them as a con-
tinuing menace.
"Even if it be conceded that these fears are to
some. extent exaggerated, it is unquestionably true
that they exist, that they are not groundless, and
that they produce effects of great importance.
"The westward migration of Russian Jews, which
has proceeded for over twenty years, is being stim-
ulated by - these fears, and already that movement has
become so great as to overshadow in magnitude the
expulsion of the Jews from Spain and rank with the
exodus from Egypt.
"No estimate is possible of the misery suffered by
the hapless Jews who feel driven to- forsake their
native land, to sever the most sacred ties, and to
wander forth to strange countries.
"Neither is it possible to estimate the misery suf-
fered by those who are unwilling or unable to leave
the land of their birth; who must part from friends
and relatives who emigrate; who remain in never-end-
ing terror.
"Religious persecution is more sinful and more
fatuous than war. War is sometimes necessary, hon-
orable and just; religious persecution is never de-
fensible.
"The sinfulness and folly which give impulse to
unnecessary war received their greatest check when
your Majesty's initiative resulted in an International
Court of Peace.
"With such an example before it, the civilized
world cherishes the hope that upon the same initiative
there shall be fixed in the early days of the twentieth
century, the enduring principle of religious liberty;
that by a gracious and convincing expression your
Majesty will proclaim, not only for the government
of your own subjects, but also for the guidance of all
civilized men, that none shall suffer in person, prop-
erty, liberty, honor or life, because of his religious
belief; that the humblest subject or citizen may wor-
ship according to the dictates of his own conscience,
and that government, whatever its form or agencies,
must safeguard these rights and immunities by the
exercise of all its powers.
"Far removed from your Majesty's dominions,
living under different conditions, and owing allegiance
to another Government, your petitioners yet venture,
in the name of civilization, to plead for religious
liberty and tolerance; to plead that he who led his
own people and all others to the shrine of peace, will
add new luster to his reign and fame by leading a
-- new movement that shall commit the whole world
in opposition to religious persecution.
"I am instructed to ask whether the Petition will
be received by your Excellency to be submitted to
the gracious consideration of his Majesty. In that
case the Petition will be at once forwarded to St.
Petersburg. I avail myself, etc.
"You will report at the earliest possible moment
your execution of this instruction.
HAY."
*
The failure of the American effort is recorded in
this telling sentence in Dr. Adler's compilation:
"Die Imperial Government of Russia declined to
receive the petition."
But, "by permission of President Roosevelt, the
separate sheets of the petition, suitably bound and
enclosed in a case provided for the purpose, have
been placed in the archives of the Department of
State."
In a communication which was delivered to Simon
Wolf of Washington and which was addressed to Leo
N. Levi, Esq., president of Bnai Brith, in New York,
Secretary Hay wrote. under date of Oct. 31, 1903:
"My Dear Sir: I have received at the hands of the
Honorable Simon Wolf your letter of October 5. He
has also delivered to me the bound copy of the
Kishineff petition. It gives me pleasure to accept the
charge of this important and significant document and
to assign it a place in the archives of the Department
of State.
"Although this copy of your petition did not reach
the high destination for which it was intended, its
words have attained world-wide publicity, and have
found a lodgment in many thousands of minds. This
petition will be always memorable, not only for what
it contains, but also for the number and weight of
the signatures attached to it, embracing some of the
most prominent names of our generation of our men
renowned for intelligence, philanthropy and public
sprit. In future, when the students of history come
to peruse this document, they will wonder how the
petitioners, moved to profound indignation by in-
tolerable wrongs perpetrated on the innocent and
helpless, should have expressed themselves in lan-
guage so earnest and eloquent and yet so dignified,
so moderate and so decorous. It is a valuable addition
to public literature, and will be sacredly cherished
among the treasures of this department. I am, sir,
very respectfully yours,
JOHN HAY."
* * *
The draft of the petition that was submitted by
the Bnai Brith was circulated in 36 states and was-
signed by 12,544 people, including U. S. Senators, a
Supreme Court Justice, many high Government offi-
cials, postmasters, U. S. Army officers, Mayors and
others.
While Dr. Adler's volume serves a valuable his-
toric document, it is regrettable that it was so poorly
edited. Many facts are missing, the index is in-
complete and some of the texts of addresses which
could have served a valuable purpose as .part of the
tragic Kishineff chronicle remain unavailable.
Nevertheless, there are many items in the JPS
book that have great merit. For instance, among the
reprinted editorials is one that appeared on June 4,
1903, in the Tacoma, Wash., Ledger, under the
heading "Arming the Jews." It acclaimed the right of
Jews to resort to arms to defend themselves. The
Tacoma Ledger editorial follows:
"News comes from Russia that the Jews in the
various cities have organized for defense, and that the
men and women are all armed with revolvers. That
they are necessarily deficient in target practice is to
be regretted. When a few weeks ago they were set
upon in Kishineff and butchered by the scores, they
had nothing with which to resist. So far as putting
up a fight against the assassins was concerned, they
were as helpless as an equal amount of rabbits. In
order to show its interest in the matter, the govern-
ment promptly issued orders that the Jews refrain
from securing arms of any sort, and, not being fools
in their generation, the Jews plucked up courage to
defy this order. The people of the civilized world
will be glad to hear it. A massacre is a frightful
thing, but if the people chosen for slaughter can
manage to turn the tables, the catastrophe has re-
deeming qualities. It is to be hoped there will be no
more ghasty affairs such as recently occurred at
Kishineff, but if one were to be attempted, news that
the dead belonged mostly to the attacking party would
be almost cheering. Certainly the people were wise
in arming themselves. If the Government does not
like it, there is no possibility that a worse penalty
can be meted out than that which is customary now
thorugh the mere fact of helplessnes. Doubtless the
rabble that assailed the Jews was a pack of cowards,
making the venture in the full knowledge that they
would not receive physical hurt, and that the ruling
powers would lend tacit approval. The powers have
not changed, but the victims have concluded not to
loted and slain passively. They will have the best
wishes of the decent part of htunanity the first time
there is occasion for the use of weapons."
The serious question emerges: were President
Theodore Roosevelt and his Secretary of State John
Hay wrong in their hesitation and in their super-
caution when the protests were being uttered against
cold-blooded massacres in Imperial Russia? Could
and should the democratic forces throughout the
world have acted with greater and more determined
force to expose the horrors in Russia?
This writer believes that failure to speak up more
firmly against what was happening was harmful to
libertarian principles and that they helped to defer
action on a worldwide scale in behalf of basic prin-
ciples of human decency. Such deferment merely
provides precedents for other inhuman episodes akin
to Czarism and Nazism.
A portion of this article appears in the Spring
1964 issue of Heritage, magazine of Biiai
Brith Adult Jewish Education Department.