There is evidence to indicate that the Russian government, overwhelmed
by the consequences of the expulsion policy, has suggested to the
military authorities the advisability of repatriating the exiles;
but these authorities have refused to consider the suggestion except
on condition that the Jews voluntarily give hostages from among their
own ranks, these hostages to include the Rabbi and other leading
Jews. This proposal has been universally rejected by the Jews through
their representative in the Duma, Deputy Friedman, in a letter to the
President of the Council of Ministers:
“As a deputy from the province of Kovno, from which I, together with
all other Jews, have now been expelled, I consider it my duty to call
the attention of your excellency to the following:—
“According to the latest decrees of the authorities the Jews who
have been expelled from their homes are to be allowed to return on
condition that they give hostages. =This monstrous condition, which
the government aims to impose upon its own subjects, the Jewish people
will never accept. They prefer to wander about homeless and to die
of starvation rather than to submit to demands which insult their
self-respect as citizens and Jews. They have honestly performed their
duty toward their country and will continue to do so to the very end.
No sacrifices frighten them and no persecutions will make them swerve
from the path of honor. But neither will any persecutions force them
to accept a lie, to give testimony, through base submission, that
the monstrous accusations against them are true.= When the insolent
enemy threw down the gauntlet to Russia the Jews arose to shield their
country with their breasts, and I had the honor to appear at the
historic session of the Duma as their spokesman in the expression of
this spontaneous, inspiring enthusiasm. =The Jews gladly assumed all
the sacrifices demanded of them by their country because of a feeling
of duty to the land to which they are bound by century old, historic
bonds, and also because of a sincere hope for a brighter future. And
I may say with deep conviction that even now, after all that we have
gone through, this sense of duty is as strong as ever.= But with
the very same deep conviction I consider it my right and my duty to
declare that =no privations will shake our firm conviction that as
Russian subjects we cannot be made the victims of measures applicable
only to enemies and traitors; that we consider ourselves and shall
never cease to consider ourselves above all suspicion of treason to
our duty and our vows.= If the authorities really desire to return
the Jewish people to the places from which they were driven away by
order of the authorities they must take cognizance of this feeling
which I can testify under oath, on the basis of many conversations and
observations, is universal among us. =This permission to return under
shameful conditions is only a new and senseless insult. So the entire
Jewish population feels, and this feeling is shared by me, their
representative.”=