Nearly half of the Jewish population of the world lives in Russia, in
the immediate area of active hostilities, congested in cities, which
are the first point of attack. The dreadful position of the Jews of
Russia in normal times is well known. Forbidden to live outside of
the enlarged Ghetto, known as the Pale of Settlement; burdened with
special taxes; denied even the scant educational privileges enjoyed
by the rest of the population; harried by a corrupt police, a hostile
Government and an unfriendly populace—in brief, economically degraded
and politically outlawed—their condition represented the extreme of
misery. It was the openly expressed policy of the reactionaries who
ruled Russia to solve the Jewish question by ridding the country of its
Jews. “One-third will accept the Greek Church; one-third will emigrate
to America; and one-third will die of starvation in Russia”—so ran the
cynical saying. Some did abjure their faith, tens of thousands did
starve in Russia and hundreds of thousands did emigrate to America.