Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-06
Correspondence Between Secretary
Foster and the Union of He
brew Congregations.
Proposal to Treat the Coming Ct Rus
sian Jews as a Neces-
sity.
This Would not do Away With Dis
advantages to the United
States.

WASHINGTON, Aug 3.-Secretary Eos
| ter today addressed d letter to Simon Wolf
and Lewis Abraham, president and secre-
tary respectively of the union of American
Hebrew congregations, in reference to
overtures made to the president for the re-
lease from detention of Russian Hebrew
Immigrants, held at New York and
Boston as assisted immigrants.
whose landing IS forbidden by
law. IN their letter to the secretary
MesSrs. Wolf and Abrahams stated that
the Hebrew societies of the United States
while they deplored this kind of immigra-
ton and had advised their brethren in
foreign countries to prevent it, were
willing to stand the expense of the car
riage of immigrants and to give the gov
ernment a satisfactory bond guarantee
ing that none of these refugees
should become public charges. They
urged that practically enforced inning ra-
ton of this nature could not be classed
properly as assisted immigration with
In the meaning of our lads. In his an
swer to TIE communication Secretary
Foster says in part: 81 fully concur In
your estimate of the magnitude of the pres
entcalamity which has befallen so many
of your race as we'll as in your
hope that an early immigration or cessa-
ton of the current measures of expulsion
may render unnecessary any general imml-
grafton of Russian Hebrews to America
or elsewhere. Unquestionably a great and
sudden Influx Of destitute aliens of any
race would be grave misfortune to any
country, and the American Hebrews
act both periodically and humaneIy when
they advise Jewish refugees against COM
ing hither, hut at the same time epdeavor
to render self-supporting those who finally
come. Obviously the support of numbers
of dependent persons is d tax upon the re-
sources OF the country, even though paid
from private funds and quite as plainly
Industrial conditions here might be seri-
ousl y disturbed by the sudden arrival and
enforced competition of a multitude
of needy people. Hence, it is i'm
portant to the very last degree
that the volume of this expected refugee
immigration be not excessive or threaten
ing, and that with entire certainty it be
promptly and widely distributed so as to
supply real want in scattered communities
and interfere as little as possible
with existing and normal Industrial condi-
ton. The apparent scope and thoroughness
OF your plans for securing this immediate
and wide distribution of expected refugees
are most gratifying, and upon the success
of your ASSOCIATION in carrying out these
plans will largely depend the possibility of
he government meeting your views in
other respects. While the immigration
laws of the United States must and will
be enforced, | agree with you that those
laws we're never enacted in derogation of
the plainest requirements of humanity,
and no worthy immigrant who in all
other respects meets the demands of our
statutes, should be excluded from
this country because Through the
action Of others, he is
for the time being homeless and without
property. | shall rely upon your voluntary
assurance that you will actively urge upon
your brethren in Europe the attitude of
our laws toward associated immi y~ation.
| also beg to remind you that any tenden.
cy abroad to defect toward this country a
movement OF destitute refugees, or
to stimulate their migration hither, would
be distinctly hostile to the spirit manifest
ed IN your letter and of the spirit with
which the government of the United
States desires to treat this difficult and
delicate problem.