One of the principles of the Jewish socialists in Russia about a generation ago was "but nothing pertaining to Judaism." This was not a basic principle in the Russian socialist program, because in the opinion of those Russian revolutionists the Jews were not worthy of serious consideration. The object was to emancipate Russia. If this had to be done over the dead bodies of the Jews, or over the ruin of their economic interests, [it was a matter of small moment.] What do five or six million Jews matter in comparison with one hundred million Russians? When pogroms broke out, the Jewish socialists were the first to declare that that was the beginning of Russian emancipation. [They said that] when the Russians saw the blood - even though it was Jewish blood - they would rise against the oppressors, the Czar and his ministers. At that time, the favorite expression of some socialists was! "Jewish blood is only the axle grease of the revolution."

And when the revolution came to pass, the Jewish socialists were the first to test the socialist theory in the Jewish community. Since they were Jews, they could not leave the restricted districts because Russian constables would seize 2them and send them back under guard. So they went with revolvers to the synagogues to give the Jewish bourgeois a severe lesson. They sought to inaugurate a socialist system on the synagogue grounds - a system which more highly cultured people, as the Western Europeans, have not yet achieved.

When Russia became too "hot" for many Jewish socialist leaders, they came to America. In a different land, under entirely different political and economic conditions, they should have begun gradually to change their socialist tactics and propaganda. We say gradually because they brought with them the Russian "atmosphere." Many young workers who would have gained a great deal from a closer relationship with Americans were kept in this outlandish atmosphere of the "Russian Revolution" by their socialist leaders. This proved harmful to them in many ways, both spiritually and materially.

In time however this condition changed. America gave birth to her own Socialist Party which is in character quite different from the "Russian Revolution" atmosphere, and the Jewish socialists have adapted themselves with typical Jewish adaptability. Many of their views have been changed perforce. But they 3have remained loyal to one old principle - contempt for the Jew and for Jewish interests. Although most of them draw their livelihood from Jews, live among Jews, nevertheless they are annoyed when they hear Jewish interests being discussed, and they do not wish to co-operate with the Jewish people.

When the Jewish Congress idea had permeated the larger part of American Jewry and a conference was called in Philadelphia, the Jewish socialist leaders, with their "principle" of contempt for the Jewish people, isolated themselves by calling a separate conference in New York for workers only, as though the Jewish workers would have no connection with the Jewish people. And at the Chicago conference when a resolution was introduced to effect unity in matters concerning all Jewry, the New York group upholding the principle of "but nothing pertaining to Judaism" opposed it, thereby causing a split between the nationalist Jewish workers and their anti-nationalist opponents.

The amusing part of this situation is that these Jewish anti-Semites present themselves as firm believers in the materialist philosophy. If they fully 4understood their position they would have recognized this tendency shown by their people in the course of many hundreds of years. [The Jews have] produced idealists and pioneers in the nationalist movement which sought to establish a Jewish homeland. Apparently this is a profound sign according to Marx and other former socialogists. But the principle of "contempt for the Jews" is so deeply imbedded that it even supersedes their historical materialism.

However the masses of Jewish workers possessing a sound nationalist instinct will not allow themselves to be duped by the few decrepit socialist idlers who speak in terms of the past. We are convinced that the Jewish working class in Chicago will unite with all Jews when the cardinal interests of the whole people are involved.