Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1902 — MEDIATES FOR FOREIGN JEWS [ARTICLE]

MEDIATES FOR FOREIGN JEWS

United States Makes Urgent Demand on Powers to Stop Persecution, WANTS BERLIN PACT OBSERVED This Country Is Unwilling to Receive Immigrants Who Are Likely to Become Burdens on the Community Because of Their Unfitness. Washington dispatch: Persecution of the Jews in Roumania has been called to a halt by the United States. Prompted first by humanitarian motlyes, secondly by necessity of stopping the migration of pauperized and ignorant Jews in thousands every year from Roumania to this country, the government has issued a note to the powers. In a stralghtforwad manner they are told that the United States expects them to enforce the provisions of the Berlin treaty, which brought to a close the Turkish-Russian war and created the Balkan states of Roumania, Servia and Bulgaria. Insists on Equal Rights. The treaty provided that no one in those countries should be discriminated against on account of religious beliefs, that foreigners and residents should enjoy equal civil rights. But these provisions are overrun by the persecution which renders the lot of 400,000 Jews in Roumania the saddest of any people in the world. They are deprived of nearly every right. The note was framed by Secretary of State John Hay on Aug. 8. It had been for months prior to that time a subject of administrative discussion. President Roosevelt went deep into the question. I Urged by Jews. Prominent Jews in the United States, including many in New York, have been influential in urging the step. Isador Strauss of New York, former United States minister to Turkey, has made frequent visits to Washington and is credited with having helped to outline the note. The action of the United States In issuing this note to the powers, in regard to a convention to which she was not a party, was known to very few people in Washington prior to the time it was made public at the State Department Answers Are Awaited. Great curiosity is manifested here as to the manner in which it will be received by Europe. It was sent in August to the United States ambassadors at London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburg and Rome and to United States Minister Leishman in Constantinople, with instructions to present it at once to the ministers of foreign affairs at the respective governments to which they are accredited. It is therefore now in the hands of the government authorities of'every country to which it was directed. So far as can be learned here no answers have been received to it. Not a Harbor for Paupers. The position of the United States is clearly summed up in Secretary Hay’s statement that, while the United States affords always a hospitable asylum for the oppressed of all lands, it is not willing to receive those who are unfitted for the struggle for existence here and are likely to become a burden on the community. Thus the United States holds to itself the right to examine the character of foreign immigration and to examine'hny causes which render it obnoxious, and if these causes are originated by another sovereign state to remonstrate. Must Observe Berlin Treaty. The method by which the powers may take action, in accordance with the note of the United States, is not understood here, but it is likely to'be secured by an international convention, or perhaps by one of the powers taking the initiative and serving Roumania with notice that the provisions of the- treaty of Berlin must be observed.