Jews and Bolshevism, testimony Senate Hearing May 1919

"First of all, permit me to correct the wrong impression that has been produced with regard to the Jewish people by the testimony of certain witnesses at the hearing, Rev. Dr. Simons, who lived a number of years in Russia, practically branded Bolshevism in Russia as a movement of Jewish origin, even though he endeavoured to soften his accusations by calling the Bolshevist leaders apostate Jews.  He furnished you with a list of names of Jewish Bolshivik leaders in Russia.  Some of the men mentioned in the list are not Jews, and some are not Bolsheviki,  Dr. Simons also stated that the great majority of the Bolsheviki came from the East Side of New York.

"The statements are as unjust as they are inaccurate.  It would be quite as absurd and unjust, of course, to call Bolshevism a Christian movement, because its father and founder, Nicholas Lenine, is a Christian, or because the most influential Bolshevik leaders, such as Comissary for Foreign Affairs Tchichherin, Commander in Chief of the New Army, who demoralised and demobilised the Russian Army; and Ensign Krylenko, Comissary Dybenko, Kollontay, Lunarcharsky, Bonch Bruyevitch, and Maxim Gorky, who first aided the Bolsehvik movement, then denounced, and supports it again, are all Christians.  Nor would it be fair to call the Bolshevik movement in this country a Christian movent because the leading apologists, defenders, and agents of the Bolsheviki, such as John Reed, Albert Rhys Williams, Raymond Robins, Colonel Thompson, and Louise Bryant, are all Christians.

"Bolshevism is not a question of religion or rae.  The East Side of New York does not deserve the blame for all the wrongs and horrors that are being committed in russia by the Bolshevik tyranny.  When the autocracy of the Romanov's was overthrown the Revolutionary Government threw the doors of Russia wide open.  The Provisional Government was composed at that time of such Conservatives and Liberals as Prince Lvov and Paul Milyukov, and there was only one Socialist in the Cabinet, Alexander Kerensky.  Then, from all corners of the world, all sorts of political exiles hurried to Russia.  Some of them came from America, others from England, still others from France, Italy, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries.  Among these political exiles there were many criminals, who suddenly also called themselves political exiles.  And these hosts of discontented preachers of unrest have played an important part in paralysing Russia. 

"Bolshevism as a sectin of the Socialist Democratic party was born about fifteen years ago.  Several Russians kept it alive quietly, yet energetically.  Lenine was the founder of the movement.  In 1909, a Bolshevist school was established in Capri, Italy, with funds secured by Maxim Gorky.  The school was organised by the following men:  Lenine, Gorky, Lunarcharsky, Alexinsky, Bogdanov, and Mokhaliov.  None of these are Jews.

"Of course there are some among the leaders of the Bolsheviki in Russia.  They disclaim their Judaism.  They say they are neither Jews nor Russians, but Internationalists.  The great mass of the Jewish people in Russia are strongly opposed to the Bolsheviki, for there is no element of the Russian population that has been hit harder by Bolshevism than the Jews.  There are even Bolshevist pogroms against the Jews.  The entire Jewish population of the town of Gluhov was massacred by Red Guards last year.  Under such circumstances, it is both absurd and unjust to charge the Jewish people with being responsible for Bolshevism."