ROLE OF THE JEW IN NEW RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3119, 25 June 1917, Page 8

ROLE OF THE JEW IN NEW RUSSIA

MILIUKOFFS VIEW THE EMANCIPATORY MOVEMENT Anti-Semitism in Enssia has been a. poliliail weapon of autocracy, according to ;v dpclai'iitiou by Professor Patil Js , . JliliukoiT, recently l\>reign Minister of t.l\o new Russian Government (since vcfiisncil), in a recont statement on tlis Jewish problem. Professor Militikoft' says (HTiil anti-Snmitism hits bwn iiscd io combat tho Socialism oE intelligent peoplo by misleading thn masses and showing Them the imaginary enemy of their welfare instead p£ tho real one. "Bismarck, it will bo remembered, called iuiti-Bomitism tho socialism of foole," says Professor Miliukoff. "In ordex lo combat tho Socialism of intelligent peoplo, it is neoeeeary to talve hold of tho ignorant masses and to mislead them by showing them the imaginary' enemy of their welfare instead of tho real one. Anti-Semitism says to tho ignorant masses: 'Thcro is your onomy, fight tho Jews, and you will improve your lifo conditions. . It is well known that such attempts to apply anti-Semitism for tho purpose, of creating social parties of the new typo wro more thnn onto mndo in the West. As an example, I shall cite tlio Christian Social Party in Austria, with Its lato leader, 1 I/uegcr."

A New Political Weapon. "It was simply a new political weapon, in a. sense, tho result of the new form of political life," ho says. "Aβ long as the nation was voiceless, as long a.} all matters were decided by the bureaucracy in the quiet of offices, committees, and Ministries, it was possible for tho Government to ignore tho peoplo as a factor in legislation, and to take account of nothing but the needs and the welfare of tho State as it understood them. But when tho natjoa was called to participate in State affairs, there arose the noed of influencing it in a certain sense. It became necessary to work np the masses, to act on their Intellect and will. "Official anti-Semitism is tho most primitive means of satisfying this need, a simplified attempt to bridlo the masses, to suggest to tliem the feelings, motives, views, and methods which are in the interest of those who play the game. In other words, demagogy came into being. For the purposes of demagogy, a special weapon, corresponding to the political oonaiclora under the new regime, was created—namely, artificial political parties. ,

"Tims, anti-Semitism of tiio new type. However Btrange this conclusion may appear, is the product of the constitutional epoch. It is a response to the need for new means of influencing the masses. And in this sense anti-Semitism plays in Russia the same role as it played in Western Europe." "Anti-Semitism serves in Russia one move purpose," he says later. "It is not eufficicnt to influence the masses. It is also necessary to act on the powers that be. If it is imperative to get hold of tho masses, it is also necessary to frighten the authorities. Thus a new version of the anti-Semitic legend comes into being: tho legend of the Jow as tho creator of tho Russian revolution. It is the Jew—so our anti-Semites assure us—who created the Russian emancipatory movements; it is he who formed the revolutionary organisation; it is he who marched under tho led banners. . . .

Role of Jews in Russia, "The Russian "who would give credence to this tale would show hie disrespect for tho ltussian nation. To assert that it is.only owing 'to tho help of tho Jow that the Russian peoplo freed themselves, is tantamount to saying that without the Jew, the Russian nation caunot reach tho road of its own emancipation. JS T o, however great my respect for the exceptional gifts of the Jewish people may be, I will not refuse the Russian, nation tho ability of taking the initiative in tho causo of its own freedom.

"But there is another side to this matter. If there can bo no question, of tlio dependence of the emancipation movement on the Jews, tho dependence of the Jews on tho emancipatory movement is very real. What must 'be tho Jew's attitude towards this movement? Thero can bo only one answer to the question. ' The Jewish, masses have realised the importance for them of tho emancipatory movement, not only because they are more enlightened, becatise they aro not addicted to alcoholism, and, hnce, are superior to their neighbours in their, understanding of their own needs; !_he Jewish masses were also led to side with the movement for freedom because, in Clieir case, it was a struggle for elementary right, tho importance of which is plain lo everyone and vitally concerns everyone. That is why the entire- Jewish may actually be reckoned in the ranks of thoso who are with the Russian oiimncipaiory movement." Of Uto part of tho Jews in the dovelop. ment of Russian freedom, written, ]U>« the remainder of tho essays, before tho present revolution, Professor Hiliukoff speaks, in conclusion, as follows: "The .Tows iirnst bear in mind with especial clearness that their fate is clowlv and inseparably interwoven with the fate of tho general emancipatory jnovcnieut in Russia. They must also keep ill mind that tho separate national movements which disrupt tho bonds of political parlies in order to males place for their national programmes, bay prove injurious to our common cause. They may load us stwny from tho common liishroa'il lo by-paths whero we nil run the rislc of going apart and losint; our way. ' f And hero is the practical conclusion lo which llieso considerations lead. .The separate national movements should bo postponed uutil the solution of tho Reiipral problem of tho all-Ruesi.nn emancipation. Let iis hopo that tho Jewish nation understands the close connection psistintr bolween its fato and that <f Russia's freedom, now, as well as it did in Ihosc yearn when it fought in the ranks of iho Russian progressive movements. Let us hopo that in tho future, a« in tlio past, tho otnancination of the different nationalities which people the Russian Empire, will be fought for in tlio common ranks of tho iill-T(iis»i;in movement for freedom." ,