The Washington herald., 1906-12-09
GOING ABROAD
Observations of Feminine Rambler.

The voyage home was study IN emf
grafton. When I was not occupied watch
ing the 'Zwischendeck" 1 was asking
questions Of the ships officers about the
two thousand souls-men. women, ana
children-that swarmed from their quar-
ters in the hold at the first dawn OF day
and ate. grew sick and well again, slept
and pursued their pleasures beneath the
open sky until driven below at 3 O'CLOCK
Such herding of humanity. such indis-
eliminate minglng Of races; such scenes
Of seasick misery, and, again, such
abandonment Of ease-when the sea was
calm-I never before beheld.
They we're mostly Polish Jews. refu-
gees from Russia, Slavs, and Hunga-
rians Germany sends practically no
ernigrants TO this country now. Condi-
tons are too prosperous at home for
her peasant class to be tempted to the
United States. The Germans who mi
crate to America are of the middle
working class, and they do not travel IN
the steerage. They are generally civil
engineers. skilled mechanics, and cleo
tricians, and they come armed with col
lege diplomas, university educadOns, and
with money in their pockets. There is no
scum OF riff-raff from Germany dumped
into American ports any longer In that
enormous company Of emigrants. there
were but two single German women
qualified for service, and but four Ger
man families.
Where the Poles and Russians-entirely
| ignorant Of the English language and
American customs, and taken raw from
the rural districts-would find a haven
seemed a mystery. but not one indt-
vidual was shipped whose destination was
not prearranged.
The steamship is responsible for every
person brought into this country for
period OF two years. If in that time he
does not prove a desirable American citi-
zen, he must be transported out Of the
/ country at the steamship cOmpany's ex-
pense. The emigrants are subjected 10
the most rigid physical and mental exami-
nation before they are shipped Children
/ who are ia any way deformed or In dan
/ ger OF inherited mental disorder are
/ barred Every man, woman, and child is
individually accounted for, and If an i'm
/ perfect type slips through the first or sec
discover it. The ships physicians keep
rigid guard over the health OF the emil
grants Every night and morning the en-
{ tire steerage company passes in single file
between two doctors who inspect the eyes,
throat, and general appearance OF the en-
/ ligrants. Seasick and languid women, sur
/ ly men and crying children are reluctant
Ily dragged forth for this inspection. At
/ certain hours Of the day not a person is
allowed below This is the time when the
/ purifying and disinfecting OF the hunks
takes place. Then the decks present Gu
rious spectacle. Children dead with sleep
/ are piled over and upon each other.
Women in "a similar condition wrap their
heads in petticOats and stretch out or curl
up wherever space permits. Doing men
overlap each other like rows Of saTdnes
often a sleeping form is utilized for card
table. Eating is going on at any and ali
/ times. When the ships rations are dis
tributed slim salt fish are stuffed into the
/ coat pockets Of the Poles. boiled potatoes
Iare dumped into the crowns of hats, and
/ women All their dress skirts with bread.
| The little children run with tin pals,
/ carrying soup back and forth, which, for
the most part. IS spilled. Boys trip each
other In the efforts to get first in line;
/ girls fight over scraps; where the water
runs from the taps, indiscriminate drink
ing and washing OF tins and clasp knives
/ goes on
People slip on potato peels, food and
drink is stopped, wasted, and scattered
and groveled in IN sickening disregard Of
cleanliness. There IS a universal grUmDle
when the sailors arrive with their buck
cts and hose TO wash down decks. Woe,
then, 10 a stray shoe or hat or shawl
! careIessIy left in the path Of the clean
ing brigade.
! There were some wonderfully beautiful
! types Of children. and a few Madonna
I ike women. who would have appealed
10 any painter. The captain told me that
in every thousand emigrants from five 10
ten were denied admittance into the
United States in spite of the rigid care
exercised to bring over only healthy and
moral classes Sometimes tragedies sepa-
rate families in cases OF deformity or in
| durable disease, The captain related one
/ instance OF a mother and FIVE children
| coming TO America last year IN the steer
| age to Join a brother in the West who
/ had prospered in a wheat deal. After
being four months in this country, the
youngest Of the children was found to
! be nentally deficient. The case was
( thrown back upon the hands of the trans
| pOrtati0H company, and there was noth-
/ ing to do but carry the mother and child
/ back 10 Germany. The brother tried in
/ every way 10 save his sister from this
fate, even Offering as much as $4,000 II
the authorities would permit the family
to remain in this country. Money and
/ influence, however. were pOwerless against
/ the emigration laws, and the mother and
child were forced to return to Germany.
| Another sad case of the preceding
| winter had enlisted the captains interest
| A young woman, claiming to have d hus-
band in this country, who would meet her
at Baltimore. arrived in port with the
rest of the steerage passengers two days
before Christmas The husband failed u
put in an appearance. and the woman, on
account of her condition, was not allowed
70 land. She was without apparent means
of support and was regarded in an un-
| favorable light by the officials, who did
not believe her story. She was placed In
the detention Office of the company. and
the necessary papers were made out
| ordering her return on the same ship.
The captain was TO sail Christmas
morning at 10 O'Clock. Shortly after man
answering to the description given by the
unfortunate woman arrived IN search oh
his wife. 1t was with extreme dif1cuity
that the captain managed to gain admit
tauce for this man TO the detention office,
where his wife was confined. There was
not time to refute the order for her re-
turn TO Germany, as the necessary Off
cfals were off duty for Christmas day.
The poor creature was obliged TO sail
with the ship. and the grief OF the pair
was pitiable TO behold. Owing 10 block
ada on the railroad. the husband had
failed to reach Baltimore the day Of the
ships arrival