Читать книгу Mennonites in the World War - Jonas Smucker Hartzler - Страница 22

The privileges accorded to the Mennonites who went from Germany to Russia caused many of the Russians to become jealous. Complaints were brought to the government regarding such discrimination, and in time it withdrew these privileges, one of which, as will be remembered, was exemption from military service. At once the Mennonites began to look for new homes. They sent commit tees to different parts of the world to find favorable countries and conditions. This resulted in a large number going to America. The Czar regretted losing so many of his most prosperous subjects, and on hearing that many more were going to leave, he sent one of his best diplomats among them with a promise of certain exemptions. After some negotiations the following was granted: "The Mennonites who shall be called out for military service shall be assigned to duty only at other places than at the front, as in hospitals, in military works and similar establishments, and shall be exempt from bearing arms. This provision shall not include such Mennonites as shall unite with the Church after the new military law shall have come into force, or such as shall come into the Russian Empire from any foreign country. "

Many of the Mennonites accepted this and remained in the country, and in case of war they were allowed to take forestry instead of service at the front. They planted trees and cut out under brush and dead timber. They were under the directions of a man who had military training but who at that time was a civilian. This did not prove very satisfactory. It gave no protection to those who became members of the Ghurch after the law went into effect. Parents saw that their sons were destined to accept combatant service or suffer persecution at the hands of (government. Also, that if they remained their posterity would soon lose the principle of nonresistance entirely. This brought on the -second wave of emigration to America.