resolution attacked the official view that it would be dangerous for the Jews themselves if they were granted equality by the Constitution. This view is strongly maintained by Count Witte who has described the granting of equality to the Jews at the present time as the act of a madman. He wishes the coming and oft postponed Zemsky Zabor to decide the principles which shall govern the relationship between Jew and non-Jew in Russia. As at present understood Jews will be entitled to participate in the projected constitutional gathering, but it is not improbable that some special exemption will sweep away that right. Count Witte, who has fallen considerably in European and American opinion since last August, is accused by the Russo-Jewish papers as being a diplomatic chameleon, and though not the instigator yet as the passive witness of the massacres. The proposition of the Douma has been taken up in Finland which proposes to grant freedom to the Jews in that Duchy, whilst on the other hand the Polish Revolutionary party have met the agitation of the Bundists who claim material Jewish autonomy in Russia with a request that the Jews throw off all special claims as well as language characteristics, and fight individually in the ranks of the Polish Nationalists.
So far no concerted plan has been effected in Russia by the Jews, but cables have repeatedly announced that a Jewish congress is about to be held in Russia, the delegates to be elected on the basis of a manhood franchise. That the Jews in Russia have not yet arrived at a common understanding is shown by the criticisms levelled at the Communal leaders in St. Petersburg, who alone in all Russia have avoided the utterance of a protest such as the occasion seems to demand. The emigration of the Jews into Galicia, Roumania and Germany has already created a difficult situation and a special German conference is being held to meet it, and a conference organized by the Vienna Alliance and the German Hilfs Verein will meet at Frankfort to cope with the general emigration question. Meantime the Zionist Actions Comite has issued a general call for a conference of all Jewish organizations, to be held in Brussels
on January 29. The programme is to discuss the "Situation of the Jews in Russia." The invitation has been rejected by the London Russo-Jewish committee, and the acceptances have not yet been published. The general view as expressed by the American-Jewish press is that such a conference should not be held until steps have been taken to create a distinct body of opinion in every country. Towards this end an agitation is on foot in England favoring the creation of a national Jewish parliament, and in the United States in favor of a general Jewish congress. The latter plan is finding support amongst most radical Jewish bodies, but has not received the endorsement of the older national bodies such as the Bnai Brith which, through its president, Mr. Adolph Kraus, has set its face decisively against such a gathering. On the initiative of the Jewish Self-Defense Association, twelve national organizations have so far pledged themselves in favor of the plan, the outcome of which is still much in doubt. At the same time the Jewish press in every country has been full of reports of minor conferences dealing with all manner of issues arising out of the general Jewish situation, and all pointing towards a greater consolidation amongst Jewish forces.
The strangest of the events which have grown out of the Russian situation is that in the second call for funds issued in England, Lord Rothschild, Sir Samuel Montagu, Mr. Claude G. Montefiore, Mr. Stuart M. Samuel, etc., a direct attack was made on Zionism and Territorialism, and objection was taken to the creation of a "Ghetto State." To this Mr. Israel Zangwill, seconded by the Council of the I. T. O., which includes Mr. Arthur Cohen, lately made a member of H. M. Privy Council, made a sharp and conclusive reply. The real meaning and occasion of this attack on the two foremost Jewish movements was incidentally made known in a set of cables passing between Sir S. Montagu and Mr. Jacob H. Schiff. In a despatch dated December 8, Sir Samuel Montagu says: "Manifesto mildly protesting against Jewish state signed Rothschild and other leaders by special request Liberal Government. Can do no harm."