Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-27
HEBREW ORPHANS'CASE
PROTEST TO PRESIDENT AGAINST
DEPORTATION.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn, August 27.-L
Schwartz, president of the local Hebrew
congregation. today sent the following tele-
graphic protest to President Roosevelt
against the deportation of Hebrew orphans,
ITO Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President,
Oyster Bay, N. Y:
Knoxville Hebrews protest against de-
portation Of Russian Hebrew orphans. We
will provide for two.
"OSigned) L. SCHWARTZ,
President H. A. Congregation"
Nothing official has been heard at the
Department OF Commerce and Labor as to
the orphaned Jewish children who have
been held up at Ellis Island. But the de-
cially. 1t having been called to the atten-
ton OF the commissioner of immigration a
couple Of months ago.
The probability is that the children will
be admitted to this country either by the
immigration authorities in New York or
else by reference of the case to the de-
partment here. Still there is some oppo-
sition to establishing precedent for dump
Ing large number of orphans of any sort
on this country, and the officials Of the de-
pSrtment said that 1t would have to be
plainly shown in advance that the children
were in the hands of responsible parties
and that thorough provision had been made
for furnishing them with good homes here,
SO that they would be ta no danger of be-
coming charge on the public.
Some months ago arrangements were
made by some of the charitably disposed
Jews Of New York and other parts of the
United States to bring number of the
orphans who had been made SO by the
Jewish massacres in Russia to this coun-
try, where they were to be cared for ir
private homes and institutions. There were
such people as Simon Wolf of Washing.
ton. Jacob Schif Of New York. the Speyert
and other bankers, SO that there was nc
question In the minds of the authorities
that the orphans would be we'll cared for
The consignment Of forty arrived at New
York on Sunday. and, while they have
been temporarily held up. there probably Is
little doubt Of their ultimate admission
They WILL of course. have to be- subjected
to the usual examination for disease anG
insanity. But If their sponsors make q
satisfactory showing before the department
in Washington even If the case is primarily
held up at Ellis Island, the children prob.
ably will be admitted.
The department, however, does not want
sion Of minors and orphans. There has beer
large and thriving trade in this line, prin.
cipally at Boston. where thousands of boys
principally Italians, have been deported
There are numbers of padrones in this
country who make living by importing
these boys and they are farmed out fol
boot blacks, paper sellers and to other me-
nial jobs in all of the cities Most of them
are miserable. helpless little specimens, both
mentally and physically. The authorities
have been more strict than usual recently
with this class of child immigrants and as
many as eighty have been deported from
Boston in a single day.
The Jewish orphans Of course come under
a different heading. and it Is likely thai
they will be admitted. But their sponsors
Will be required to show that they will b.
well taken care OF after their arrival.