Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-21
BIRTH RATE OF RUSSIANS
Interesting Report Of Investigator
Harkavy of Immigrant Society.
OUTLOOK VERY ENCOURAGING
Finds Famous Whitechapel District
in London Not So Black as Has
Been Painted.

NEW 1Ohh, january Zl-fAicAdhuci
Harkavy Of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid So
ciety, who has been two months in Europe
investigating the treatment Of Jewish immi-
grants aboard ship and ashore, partly with
view of ascertaining their fitness to be-
come American citizens. returned yester-
day on the Cunarder Campania with I'M
pressions that, he says, are in the main sat
isfactory and encouraging. He Is con-
WINGED that the emigration of Jews from
Russia to America will keep up so long as
the persecution of the Jew continues in
Russia. But the great efflux will have but
little effect on the Russian Jewish popula-
ton, the loss by immigration being COM
pensated for by very large birth rate.
when the persecution ceases" Mr. Har-
kavy said, Russian emigration will not
only dwindle, but many Russian Jews who
are here will return to their native country.
where they have left relatives, friends and
memories that will draw them back. Left
alone to pursue his business In Russia, the
Jew gets along as well as any one , else;
to America now are under thirty-fve years
of age and are of good physique and above
the normal intelligence. Only the rugged
and ad3enturesome seem to be emigrating,
whereas several years ago we were getting
the middle-aged and old.
A Voluntary Exil-.
"I found that the Russian Jew emigrant
was not only not assisted but not even en-
couraged to leave Russia by the Jewish
benevolent societies abroad. In all cases I
looked into found that the emigrant had
paid his own passage. But the societies do
help out in some cases where the emigrant
has little besides his passage ticket. The
emigrant is on his way to the ship when
the representatives Of the societies first see
Instances, if 1t is decided after examination
at the controlling station in. Germany, or
just before he goes aboard ship, that he is
not fit person to enter America he may
be helped to some other country, France,
would be calamtous flood Of immigration
ton laws are not restrictive.
'In some cases emigrants who are re-
jected at the controlling stations or at the
where they have secretly left the country
for political reasons 1t is impossible to re-
turn them without imperiling their liberty
and sometimes their lives, and they are
sent to other countries, notably France. If
1t were possible for the Jewish societies to
bring in Jewish immigrants free there
would be a calamitous flood Of immigrants
to this port. But the societies would not
want to do this If they could.
Whitechapel Not So Bad.
II investigated the conditions in the Jew
ish quarters of most Of the large cities Of
Europe. 1 found the Whitechapel district,
in which there are many Jews, not so black
as it has been painted. Since the Jews
have settled there it has become peaceful
and comparatively moral. There are no
more rogues there than in centers of vast
population elsewhere.
IT cannot say for publication much about
the conditions aboard ship until make my
report to the society. have found, how
ever, that the Jewish immigrant might be
better taken care Of by certain lines. All
the Jewish societies here are opposed to
the congestion Of Jewish immigrants in this
city and are making an effort to direct the
flood to the south and west"
Mr.. Harkavy secured the cooperation of
Jewish benevolent societies abroad in an
effort to prevent the prohibited class of
Jews from attempting to come to America,
to protect the Jewish immigrant from ex-
ploitation by immigration agents on the
other side and to assist in the reunion of
families that become separated in transit
from Russia Mr.. Harkavy believes that
one of the results of his visit to Europe
will be fewer deportations from this port
of undesirables and decrease of expense
and suffering to all concerned.