The morning call., 1891-08-02
ASSISTED EMIGRANTS.
The Hebrew Societies Will Provide for the
EXilaS FFOm Russia.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Secretary Foster
to-day addressed a letter to Simon Wolf and
Lewis Abraham, the President and Secre-
tary respectively of the Union Of the Amer
lean Hebrew Congregations, in reference to
the overtures made to the department for
the release from detention of the 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 Abraham
stated that the Hebrew societies OF the
United States, while they deplored this kind
OF immigration, and had advised their breth-
rem in foreign countries to prevent it, were
willing TO stand the expense of caring for
these immigrants, to give the Government a
satisfactory bond guaranteeing that none of
these refugees should become a public
charge. and urged that practically the en-
forced immigration of this nature could not
be classed properly as assisted immigration
within the meaning of our laws.
In his answer to the communication Sec
retary Foster says, in parts II fully con-
eur IN your estimate of the magnitude of
the present calamity which has befallen so
many OF your race, as well as in your hope
that an early mitigation or cessation of the
current measures of expulsion may render
unnecessary any general migration Of Rus
sian Hebrews to America or elsewhere.
OF destitute aliens of any race would be
grave misfortune to any country, and the
American Hebrews act both patriotically
and humanely when they advise the Jewish
refugees against coming hither. but at the
same time endeavor to render self-support-
ing those who finally come. Obviously the
support of numbers of dependent persons is
a TAX upon the resources. of country, even
though paid from private funds and. quite
as plainly, the industrial conditions here
nIfrltf ha al.
arrival and enforced competition of multi
tude of needy people. Hence it is important
to the last degree that the volume of this
expected refugee immigration be net excess
sive or threatening, and that with entire cei-
talnty it be promptly and widely distributed
so as TO supply the real want in scattered
communities and interfere as little as pos
sible with the existing and normal Industrial
conditions.
The apparent scnpe and thoroughness of
your plans for securing this immediate and
wide distribution of the expected refugees
are most gratifying, and upon the success
OF your associations in carrying out these
plans will largely depend the possibility of
the Government meeting your views in
other respects. While the immigration laws
OF the United States must and will be en-
forced, agree with you that those laws
were never enacted iu derogation of the
piainest requirements of humanity. and no
worthy Immigrant. who in all other respects
meets the demands of our statutes, should
be excluded from the country because
through the actions of others he is for the
time being homeless and without property.
shall rely upon your voluntary assur-
ance that you will actively urge upon your
brethren in Europe the attitude Of our laws
toward assisted immigration. l also beg to
remind you that any tendency abroad to de-
fleet toward this country movement OF
destitute refugees. or to stimulate their mi
grafton hither, would be distinctly hostile to
The spirit manifested in your letter and to
the spirit in which the Government of the
United States desires to treat this difficult
and delicate problem"
PENSIONS GRANTED.
Pensions have been granted to the follow