Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-01
I'M, C,A, s NEW MOVE
Industrial Department to Work
 With Immigrants.
NO PRosELYTING TO BE DONE
Association Agents Will Get In Touch With Incoming Millions at Elm harkation Points-SociaI Problems to Receive First Consideration.

With Incoming Millions at Elm
 barkation Points-SoeiaI Problems to
 Receive First Consideration.
 Under the auspices of the industrial department of the International Young Mems Cristian association a systemat- ic scheme for work among the newly landed immigrants and foreign speak. ing population has been laid out. The movement signalizes a new departure in the work of the association.
 Leaders in the work of the associa- tion have long been impressed with the importance Of the foreign born work man as a factor in the industrial life of the community, and it was a desire to do something to better his condition socially and economically. as well as spiritually, that led to the inauguration of this enterprise. The plan and pur- poses of the undertaking are described in an article in Charities, which says:
 Under normal industrial conditions immigrants from southeastern Europe form from 30 to 80 per cent of employ ees in many mines, quarries, steel and iron mills, furnaces, coke ovens, ce- ment works, etc This shows how de pendent we are upon the foreigner, and the question is, What does Chris tian America owe this man? He has been wronged. often malreated, some times cheated and frequently imposed upon He deserves better treatment, and the association has entered ear nestly into the work of helping to i'm prove his condition and character.
 A special secretary, pr. Peter Rob- erts, has been placed in charge of this work. pr. Roberts has studied the needs of the immigrants in the coal fields of Pennsylvania. He is the au- thor of painstaking study of the in- dustrial and sociological conditions of the foreign speaking in that state, and he is qualified to lead in adapting the work of the association to meet these great needs.
 The association is now doing work in four of the ports of entry on the Atlantic. Its agents meet the immi- grants, minister to their necessities, guide many to trustworthy boarding houses and find employment for many others. Those who go inland are given letters and cards of introduction to association secretaries, who also aid them. It k interesting to know that the plan works. Immigrants aided by the secretaries have sent back letters of appreciation for services rendered and for the spirit manifested.
 The leaders fin this movement, how ever, feel that they must get hold of the immigrant before he lands in New York or Boston. Philadelphia or Que bee. He must be cultivated at the ports of authorization. He must be told, as Robert Watchorn, commission- CT of immigration in New York, puts it, that an agent of the Young Mems Christian association stands at the gate to welcome him." With this in view, a plan of cooperation between the international committee and the worlds committee is being perfected by which agents of the association will work in the ports of authorization in Europe, aiding immigrants and direct ing them into the hands of similar agents in the ports of landing as well as in inland centers of distribution.
 The association feels that the first impression made upon the immigrant is important. and its aim is to safe guard the foreigner" from crooks and sharps. to help him find his destina- ton, his friends or the needed employ ment and thus impress upon him that he comes to.a Christian and law abid- ing country.
 A conservative estimate will place the total non-English speaking work CTS fin the industries of America at 3,500.0O0. The association feels 1t owes a duty to them. Hundreds of these wage earners are killed each year fin mill and mine because of their igno- rance of the English language. Today scores of associations are conducting classes in English for foreign born men and boys. Thousands of these men prematurely fll graves because of ignorance of the laws of health. condi- tons of living and lack of intelligent adjustment to new industrial condi- tIons. The association is trying to find ways for bringing light and knowledge to the foreign speaking in these lines.
 Thousands of these men get into trouble for the reason that they do not know the ordinances of our cities and the laws of the land. A magis- trate recently said in Youngstown: Tt Is the men who do not know English that get Into trouble. When they learn English and know our laws they keep out of court" The association is try ing to help the foreign speaking to keep out of court by teaching them what the laws are. why they are neces- ssry and the duty of all to obey them. Thousands of foreigners are voters. and thousands more aspire to that honor. It is safe to say that hundreds of these naturalized foreign speaking men do not know what a vote means fin a democracy. Many of them know that 1t has peceniary value and are not able to see further then that. Their previous trHinisg and their ignorance have been used by sinister men to cor rupt the ballot
 When a judge in ohio explained the election laws to q crowd of Magyars and pointed out the crime of fraud i1ienf rntfrr arf ffe nennlfr- f,,er rrnre