New-York tribune., 1906-08-28
THE FORTY LITTLE JEWS
NAY BE ALLOWED TOLAND
Arrang gements Made an AdUancs for
Care of These Russian Orphans.
[From The Tribuns Rur.au. ]


Washington, Aug. 27.-The commissioner
Ellis Island recommended 20 the Washington
immigration authorities to-day that the forty
Russian-Jewish children who arrived on Satur-
day on the steamer Arnerika, and who have been
held up pending an investigation OF their case
by board of inquiry, be allowed 70 land.
Commissioner General Sargent, after a talk
with Acting Commissioner Murray at Ellis ISL
and by telephone. took the case up with the
Acting Secretary Of the Department OF Com
merce and Labor. A decision will be announced
shortly. and the probability is that the children
will be admitted. President Roosevelt will prob
ably pass on the case.
The department knows all about the circum-
stances in connection with the bringing Of the
children to this country. it the subject Of
correspondence several months ago between
Commissioner General Sargent and the National
Committee for the Relief Of Sufferers by Russian
Massacres, under whose auspices the children
were brought here. This committee, of which
Oscar s Straus, of New York is chairman, wrote
to Mr. Sargent to say that they desired to bring
to this country from Russia about a hundred
children who had been made orphans as a result
OF the riots in Russia. with the condition that
these children should be perfectly normal in
health and that they should not become public
charges on arriving here, but should be placed
with families able to take care of them and for
whose responsibility the society would vouch
In reply to this inquiry, Mr.. Sargent wrote in
part follows:
heartily commend the work which your COM
rnittee has undertaken. Certainly you will find
no one that will aid YOU more in Carving out
your undertaking than mvsaif as far as 7 am
permitted under the laws and regulations gov
ernlhg immigration. Children who have been
ropbed OF their parents and who are thus left
helpless in the world appeal to me very strongly:
What We shall ask is that the children who come
to the United States through the influence OF
your society and under the conditions which
you have set forth should have it's protecting
arm around them from the moment they leave
the other side until they reach their destina-
ton in this country. While all will be subject to
the inspection made necessary by law with the
knowledge which VIII be impaired through your
representative at Ellis Island, the fact that
these children come strictly under the conditions
set forth in your letter will cause prompt and
just action to be taken in each case. There is a
vast difference between bringing children in the
spirit which prompts the action Of your commit
tee and that which is manifest the part or
those who bring children for the purpose Of
making them laborers without the advantages
Of home influence and education.
In view of this statement by Mr.. Sargent, it
is believed that the children who arrived on
Saturday will be admitted without delay. They
the first arrivals of the number of orphans
for whom the Hebrew charity societies of this
country have undertaken to care
Though a precedent will be established in the
admission of orphans and minors if the arrivals
on the Amerika are allowed to enter, the officials
seem to hold the view that the circumstances in
the present case justify the admission. provided
OF course, he inspection regulations are COM
piled with. Enforcement OF the law against the
admission Of orphans and minors has been very
strict to put a stop to the practice Of padrones
importing into this country children who have
been brought here and farrned out as boOtblacks
paper sellers. etc There has been a large and
thriving trade in this line chiefly at Boston,
where thousands of boys, principally Italians
have been deported-