New-York tribune., 1910-01-24
Mr.. SCHIFF TO JEWS
PROBLEMS TO SOLVE.
Says Immigrants Should Be
Better Distributed.

Jacob II. Schifr. addressing the annual
meeting Of the Hebrew Sheltering and I'm
migrant Aid Society yesterday. urged the
Jews of New York City TO solve the prob
lem of distributing the food of Jewish
immigrants over the country. instead Of
keeping them in this city. Mr. Schin re-
ceived an enthusiastic reception by an
audience that filed the auditorium and
stage OF the Educational Alliance.
Immigration Commissioner Williams was
present and made brief address. After
ward he spent an uncomfortable half hour
while the Rev. II. Masliansky. rabbi OF the
Alliance Congregation, told him some of the
things upon which the Jews of New York
disagreed with the immigration officials
He spoke in Yiddish and shook his finger
at Commissioner Williams. The latter's
face flushed under the criticism, while the
audience cheered the speaker.
Although Mr.. Schif was also loudly
cheered at his entrance, the suggestion
that New York was reaching the limit
of its power to absorb Jewish immigrants
did not arouse enthusiasm.
Not the people uptown, as you call US,
but you people down here. the Jews Of
America" said Mr.. Schin, must solve the
problem that Jewish immigration has
brought us.
There are a million Jews in this city
They are not a burden but blessing TO
the community. and must continue to
take the Russian Jew. Without him New
York would have been unable to compete
with European cities in the great struggle
for commercial supremacy. But we must
regulate immigration, permitting only
certain number TO come into. certain sea-
ports. We must spread the Jewish inmi-
arfS Ia nd
trate them in cities There is limit to
the absorption opportunities of this city
or any other city.
If we can get the, immigrants into the
West. with the opportunities that are there,
we can absorb from two million to three
million more Jews. But we think we have
reached the limit in the North Atlantic
seaports.
This is big problem It may not be
solved in a day or a year, but 1t must be
solved for our own good. The problem of
immigration is behind us; the problem OF
distribution is ahead OF u.s.
Commissioner Williams said he found
many persons, once immigrants. returning
here from trips to their old homes, who
could not speak English although they
had lived in the United States for years
He urged all his hearers who did not know
English to learn IL.
Referring to this suggestion, and also to
Commissioner Williams's remark that GER
tain regulations were necessary in han
ding immigrants, DR.. Masliansky declared
that the Liberty Bell had rung out free
dom TO all In the land, and no regulations
were thought necessary in the distribution
OF the blessing of liberty to everybody, no
matter what language he spoke.
He questioned the -soundness of judg
ment Of immigration officials who "ad-
nitted TO our. country the person with a
strong physique and shut out the man
weaker physically"
THE strong man by his very strength
maybe menace to the peace Of the coun-
try" he said. but the man physically
weak may, be mentally. strong and able TO
help build up the nation
THE policy of foreigners who become
Americans and reach Official places is a
dog in the manger' policy. Having been
safely admitted themselves. they would
handicap others trying To get IN" he con-
cluded amid "a noisy demonstration OF ap-
prevail. shaking his hand at Commissioner
. Judge Leon Sanders. president OF the So
ciety, presided He read an interesting re-
port Of the work OF aiding Jewish frnmi-
grants accomplished during the last year
His denial that a single case of the So
called white slave" traffic had been en-
countered was received with an outburst
OF, applause.
George kibbe Turner was denounced for
his white slave articles and his failure
to substantiate his statements when he was
summoned before the grand jury.
Judge Sanders stated that there were fir
teen thousand more Jewish immigrants ad-
mitted to New York in 1909 than in 1908
Besides taking care of all those immi-
grants who required assistance, we sup
piled thousands of meals to New York
City's poor he said, "and we can boast
that there is no Jewish bread line in this
city"
Among the names OF the advisory board
for 1910 announced by him were Jacob H.
Schin, Oscar S. Straus, Isaac n. Seligman,
Cyrus L. Sulzberger, Abram l. Elkus,
Max J. Kohler, Louis Marshall and Profess
sor Morris Loeb.
Announcement was also made that a con-
ference of foreign and American Jewish
immigration societies would be held in this
city during next May, with the object of
regulating emigration of Jews to the
United States.