Denies Russia Has Violated Treaties.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 11, 1912:
French Premier Refuses to Intervene on Behalf of Jewish Travelers.
SITES CHECK GIVEN TO US
Declares It Makes Any French Attempt Inopportune — Reply to League of the Rights of Man.
    PARIS, Oct. 10.— Premier Poincaré to-day declined to intervene with Russia, at the request of the League of the Rights of Man, in an attempt to secure improved passport facilities for French Jews desiring to enter Russia.
    In a long letter addressed to Francis de Pressensé, the President of the league, the Premier cites the negotiations between the United States and Russia. "However desirable," he says, "would be a liberal modification of the traditional Russian regime, Russian national sentiment would revolt against foreign pressure designed to bring about an amelioration." He continues:
    "The complete check experienced by the Government of the United States, which was followed by the denunciation of the Russo-American Treaty of Commerce, renders any attempt of this nature clearly inopportune, you will recognize that it could not be a question for our country to resort to a measure of this kind."
    The League of the Rights of Man contended that the Franco-Russian treaties of 1874 and 1905, reciprocally guaranteeing to their nationals, without distinction of religion, the right to live, to travel, and to own property in their respective territories, were violated by Russia, both in letter and in spirit. This constituted, according to the league, a blow at French national sovereignty.
    M. Poincaré points out that, while the French law proclaims equality for all citizens without distinction of religious belief, the Russian law. which is based on the existence of a State religion, is inspired with a different principle and creates distinctions of that nature. He continues:
    "It is evident that French law cannot be substituted for Russian law. This would be a blow at Russian sovereignty."
    M. Poincaré says an examination of the treaties shows that Russia never intended to grant preferential privileges to foreigners irrespective of their religion, which it denies to its own subjects. The treaty of 1874 expressly declares that its provisions do not affect the laws in force in the two countries, and applicable to all foreigners on matters concerning commerce, industry, and police. "Hitherto," he says, "Jews connected with commercial houses could have passports which were good for three months, but the convention of 1904 made them good for six months. This modification, made in the interest of commercial travelers, carries with it no stipulation that all Frenchmen are on the same footing."
    The Premier concludes: "It cannot be argued that Russia has violated the treaties, which merely provide in general that French citizens, Christian or Jewish, shall always obtain the same privileges as are accorded to citizens of any other nation. Under this condition, I can only decline intervention, which would be without use and without object."