cted as to
his right to choose freely his place of residence and to give his
children an education.

The so-called "Pale of Settlement," Poland and the southwestern
section, constituted the arena for the early operations of the war.
The tradesmen, the merchants, all people of any means were ruined; the
poor workman was left without a crust of bread. The invading foe
forced both these groups to flee. Where were they to flee? The
simplest solution that presented itself was for them to go into other
cities of the "Pale." But the burden of the war was felt there also.
The chief bread-winner of the family had gone to war; both industries
and trades were crippled. Emigration, the safety valve of poverty, was
now impossible. Into the midst of this suffering came pouring in the
refugees from the border regions, on the one hand, and on the other,
the exiles from Germany and Austria, where they had previously found
food and shelter, and whence they had now, so to speak, been thrown
overboard.

The economic role of such an element, hungry and unemployed, is easily
appraised. Small wonder, then, that such a condition should become
absolutely unbearable; starvation has become a common occurrence, and
many prefer suicide to asking for alms. And should some of these care
to ask for aid there is no one who could offer it, since the local
population cannot cope with the need that has so suddenly swooped down
upon them.

Russia is a vast country, as is the soul of the Russian. Enough land
and bread exists for all its children. Many have relatives who would
welcome the refugees and exiles into their homes for the time being;
many could earn their livelihood. But in accordance with the existing
regulations the authorities must observe that no one who has not the
right of residence should come without the "Pale." The absurdity of
such regulations becomes more apparent when applied to participants in
the war. Thousands of wounded Jewish soldiers are scattered all over
Russia, many outside the "Pale." Their own may not come to stay with
them nor even visit them. Should one of these wounded die, his people
are deprived of the privilege of paying their last respects to him;
unless they choose to violate the law and remain during the visit in
hiding without registering their arrival.

The conditions under which the Jewish child may be educated are at
present fraught with similar difficulties. A great number of
educational institutions in t