Jews -- Periodicals; Jews -- United States -- Periodicals
Nor is this direct loss and misery compensated for by any hope of
improved conditions after the war is concluded. One may dismiss at
once the rumor that the Czar has promised his Jewish soldiers any
alleviation of their lot, on account of their loyalty and bravery.
Such rumors are always spread about when the Russian autocracy needs
Jewish blood or money. Besides, we all know the value of the plighted
word of the crowned head of the Russian Church; the emasculation of
the Duma is sufficient evidence of this. And even if the Czar carries
out his promise of giving autonomy to Poland, including any sections
of Prussian and Austrian territory which he may acquire by the present
war, the Jewish lot will not be ameliorated in the slightest. For,
unfortunately, Poles have of recent years turned round on their Jewish
fellow sufferers from Russian tyranny somewhat on the principle of the
boy at school who "passes on" the blow which he has received from a
bigger boy to one smaller yet.
_The Probable Strengthening of Anti-Semitic Influences_
BUT the chief evil which will result from the present war, whatever
its outcome, will be the increased influence of just those circles
from whom the anti-Semitic movement has emanated throughout Europe for
the past forty years. It is, in my opinion, absurd to think that
militarism will be killed or even scotched by the present war;
militarism cannot cast out militarism. Even if Germany is defeated, it
is impossible to imagine that she will rest content with her defeat,
and practically the only change in the situation will be that "La
Revanche" will be translated into "Die Rache"; and in Russia, the
defeat of Germany will simply increase the prestige and influence of
the grand-ducal circles from which the persecution of the Jews has
mainly emanated.
In the contrary case, if Germany gets the upper hand, the influence of
the Junkers in Germany, with their anti-Semitic tendencies, would be
raised to intolerable limits, while the Reaction in Russia, even if it
loses prestige, will yet be granted more power in order to carry out
the projected revenge.
_Diminished Chances of Emigration_
ANOTHER unfortunate result for Jews from the present war will be the
decreased stream of emigration from Russia and Galicia to this
country, so that the escape from the House of Bondage would be still
more limited. Many will be so impoverished by the war that they will
not be able to afford the minimum sum needed for migration. Death on
the battle-field or in the military hospitals will remove many
energetic young fellows who would otherwise have come to this country
and afterwards have brought their relatives with them. Conditions here
too, in the immediate future, are likely to be less attractive for the
immigrant from the economic point of view owing to the dislocation of
trade caused by the current conflict.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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