NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ri \HE news of the week from Russia has been the hideous massacres of Jews at Bialystok, which began on Corpus Christi Day—Thursday week—and continued till last Saturday. At first it was alleged that the Jews had fired upon a Christian procession and shed the first blood, but it soon became apparent that this report was an official forgery ; that the massacres had been planned by the "Black Hundred" a fortnight beforehand; that the authorities knew of it, but refused to take any precautions; and that the troops quartered in the town were used, not to check the massacres, but to fire upon Jewish houses and complete the work of ruin. The Duma, as soon as the news arrived, took up the matter and appointed a Committee of three Deputies to go to Bialystok and investigate the origin of the tragedy. Their report makes it clear that the massacres were not caused by any spontaneous outburst of race animosity, Jews and Christians having lived side by side in remarkable amity, but were organised by agents- provocateurs, and urged on by the police and the troops. Alto- gether, about three hundred victims seem to have perished. This effort of the party of reaction to distract public attention from themselves to a race-feud has signally failed, for the whole of Russia, thanks to the action of the Duma, now sees the real authors of the mischief. We seem to detect in the utterances of ordinary Russians a new loathing for the folly and wickedness which could plan such horrors. Bialystok may prove the penultimate act in the farce of reaction.
