[Illustration: _JACOB HENRY SCHIFF (born in Frankfort-on-the-Main,
Germany, in 1847, came to America in 1865), one of the world's leading
bankers (senior member of Kuhn, Loeb & Co., New York), and a prince of
philanthropists, noted for his personal devotion and munificent gifts
to many causes for human betterment. He was among the first to
encourage and befriend the Menorah movement, founding in 1907 the
annual Menorah Society Prize at Harvard. The present article forms the
approved substance of an interview granted by Mr. Schiff to the
Editors of The Menorah Journal on March 4, 1915. Mr. Schiff's
statement regarding the need for a separate Jewish Relief Fund is
given special significance by the fact that he is Treasurer of the
American Red Cross._]
It is hardly possible to exaggerate the horrors of the Jewish
conditions in the war-stricken countries, especially in the three
Polands. According to the reports we get, conditions in Russian Poland
are such that Belgium's plight is a mere _bagatelle_ in comparison.
The Jewish people there have been outraged in the most terrible
manner, both by the Poles who denounced them to the Russians as
enemies and spies and then by the Russians themselves, who treated
them as such. It is only after the Russian armies are forced to leave
that the Jews are given protection by the Germans. In saying this I do
not want to be misjudged, for it is well known that I am a German
sympathizer. But the fact is that the Russians and the Poles alike
have been inhumane to the Jewish population.
According to the latest reports, the conditions are not being improved
in any way. And the relief so far has been entirely inadequate. It has
never been adequate. We need millions for the immediate relief of our
brethren, and so far only about half a million has been forthcoming
from American Jews. This in spite of the fact that all parties and
factions in Jewry are acting together in the work of relief, except
only one organization, the B'nai B'rith, and for this there is some
reason, because the B'nai B'rith have their own lodges abroad and they
want evidently to apply their relief to their own members first.
"_We Must Have a Jewish Relief Fund of Our Own_"
We must have a Jewish Relief Fund of our own in addition to the Relief
Funds for other people in the war-stricken countries, because the
Jewish problem forms everywhere a problem of its own. It would be
rather hard to say whether, were it not for the specific Jewish Relief
Fund, the Jews would get as much relief as the other suffering people,
but there is very little doubt that the Jews in the war-stricken
districts, especially in Poland, have suffered a great deal more than
the rest of the population. The Jews, therefore, need more relief,
particularly as the civilian population has been against them.
Beyond the immediate measures for relief we can for the present do
nothing. We must act from day to day. As the war goes on we must
simply keep on trying to relieve the distress. As to what is in store
after the war, I am unable to form a picture, at least so far as
Russia is concerned. The hope is expressed that when peace is restored
Russia will do better than heretofore for her large Jewish population.
But we have been disappointed so often by Russia's promises that we
should believe this only when actually done and not before. I have
little confidence at all in the assertion that Russia will mend her
way in the future.
"_There Is Only One Way to Solve the Jewish Problem in Russia_"
There is only one way to solve the Jewish problem in Russia and that
is nothing less than the entire removal of the Pale. We must ever
demand this and accept nothing else. When the Jew can go where he
pleases, and trade where he pleases, and live where he pleases, the
Jewish question in Russia will be solved. It is the government, the
governing classes, in Russia that create the enmity towards the Jews.
I believe there is no people anywhere who have at present or ever had
less anti-Jewish feeling than the mass of Russian people. When once
the pressure brought by the bureaucracy is removed and the Jews are
permitted to have normal relations with the mass of the Russian
population all over the country, the Jewish question will be a thing
of the past.
The situation is different in Poland and Roumania, where the people
themselves are anti-Semitic. It may appear strange at first that there
should be such a difference between the Polish people and the Russian
people in their attitude towards the Jews in their midst. But it may
be easily explained. People who are oppressed generally become narrow
by the oppression. The Poles and the Roumanians have had long to
suffer from oppression to a great extent, the Poles from Russia and
the Roumanians for many years from Turkey, from whose yoke they were
freed only a few decades ago. It is generally a fact that when the
servant becomes a master he makes the most intolerant master. Even if
a Polish autonomous kingdom should be created, it could not be much
worse for the Jewish population than it is now. But the Russian people
have been happy. They have gotten used to their despotic government
and do not feel it in particular, and they have little prejudice
against their still greater oppressed Jewish neighbors.
The great numbers of Jews who have gone into the war and are fighting
heroically will, I have no doubt, make a convincing demonstration of
Jewish patriotism in every country, and that should make for an
improvement of Jewish conditions all over, except possibly in Russia.
"_I Am Afraid England Has Been Contaminated By Her Alliance With
Russia_"
But I am afraid that England too has been contaminated by her alliance
with Russia, because England doesn't want to do anything that is
displeasing to her ally, more through fear to offend her than through
respect for her. So far, at least, it has not come true, as it was
hoped in certain quarters, that England might apply pressure upon
Russia to obtain an improvement in the condition of the Jews. And
unfortunately the conditions in England itself affecting the Jews are
certainly not as good now as they have been formerly. England has
always been our great friend. In England there existed no such thing
as anti-Semitism. But now there are, I fear, signs of a change.
In Germany the Jews do not suffer. They have a high standing and
occupy many high positions. There has, it is true, always been a
certain anti-Semitic tendency in Germany. But I think this war will
crush out most of that, in fact all class differences. I am quite
convinced that anti-Semitism in Germany is a thing of the past.
"_When Peace Negotiations Begin, We Should Take United Action_"
What part America and the American Jews should play in the efforts to
bring about a permanent betterment of Jewish conditions elsewhere, it
is hard to say. America has already gone pretty far by breaking off
commercial treaty relations with Russia. Whether the United States
could or should go further is difficult to judge at this time. It is
certainly clear that the solution of the Jewish problem in Russia
along the lines already suggested would solve the passport problem and
would pave the way for the resumption of regular treaty and commercial
relations between the two countries.
I do not think there is anything to do now for the Jews and for Jewish
bodies in America except to work harmoniously together in the raising
of relief funds. Of course, we must always be on the alert and ready
to take a definite position whenever the proper time arrives. But not
now. When peace negotiations begin to be talked about, I think it will
be well for such bodies as the American Jewish Committee, possibly the
B'nai B'rith and other organizations, to take united action. What
action they should take it is hard to say. It is a very difficult
question to decide at this moment whether or not it would be
advisable to have special Jewish representatives present at the peace
negotiations to look after the specific Jewish interests. Whatever
influence should be brought to bear at the proper time should
originate with the American Jewish Committee, which is the most
suitable unifying Jewish agent in America to-day.
"_Arouse the Jews of America From Their Apathy_"
For the present, however, I repeat, what we need is to raise relief
funds to a much larger extent than we have done so far. There has been
too much apathy among the American Jews. They have done much less than
at the time of the Kishineff massacres, when almost a million and a
half was raised. Now, with conditions infinitely worse, we have thus
far not been able to raise half as much as was readily given then.
Unfortunately we have become used to horrors and they do not touch us
any more as deeply as they should. Moreover, we have weighty and
costly problems of our own at home. We have to expend such enormous
sums for home problems that American Jewry seems unable to bear much
more. But notwithstanding this more must be forthcoming. We Jews must
give until it hurts, until it really becomes self-sacrifice; we must
stir up our people to the terrible condition of our brethren abroad.
And the Menorah Societies, which represent the most intelligent and
idealistic Jewish youth of the land, should do their share in making
known the tragic conditions and in arousing the Jews of America from
their apathy.
[Illustration: Signature: Jacob H. Schiff]