Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-02-09
LEAGUE TO help
IMMIGRANTS.
Organization Formed to Pro-
teCt Them From Frauds.
WIDER DISTRIBUTION FAVORED
Railroads Will Be Asked by Society
Formed In New York 10 Help In
Sending Aliens to Farm Lands.
Other Assistance to Be Given.

Sending Aliens to Farm Lands.
Other Assistance to Be Given.
A new organization, whose object IL
to protect immigrants coming into the
United States from petty frauds and
impositions and to assist them in other
ways, was recently formed in New
York city. 1t is called the New York
State Branch of the North American
Civic League For Immigrants, which
was founded in Boston some two
year ago by ID. ,Chauncey Brewer.
While the New York body is In q
manner an outgrowth of the older So
ciety. it was explained by one of the
officers that it was called into being
because of the need felt for a body Of
private citizens to carry into effect the
many suggestions made by Governor
Hughes immigration commission.
The newly formed body will not only
try to influence the passage of the
remedial legislation recommended by
the commission for immigrant aliens;
1t will also constitute a permanent or
ganization to assist the bureau of I'm
migration, If one is authorized by the
state legislature, and it will at the
same time carry on work in the in
terest of immigrants which a state de-
partment could not undertake.
Militant Campaign to Be Waged.
John Hays Hammond is chairman
Of the new society; Frank Trumbull.
vice president of the Chesapeake and
Ohio railroad, is vice chairman; Frank
A n nd Ar.lf,. %
Bank of New York is treasurer, and
Miss Frances A Kellor, member Of
Governor Hughes immigration COM
mission, is secretary. The other men,
bers Of the committee are Jacob A.
Riis, Felix NJ. Warburg, Thomas NJ.
Mulry and John b. Carse Offices will
soon be opened preparatory to gen.
eral campaign for square dealing TO
the immigrant.
According TO Miss Kellor, the cam
paign will be n militant one. While
the citizens who form the committee
are busy men, they intend to give their
time and personal attention to the
various activities TO be engaged in, be-
sides raising funds for carrying on
their communal projects.
There will be no duplication of any
Of the work now being done for immi-
grants by existing organizations. A
great deal of the work will be new The
committee will seek ito coordinate all
the present activities of existing or
ganizations and TO act as -ort of
clearing house for the advice. assist
ance, protection and education of i'm
migrants and their children
The society will aim TO put an end
to petty frauds and abuses of immi
grants on piers and trains. Unmarried
immigrant girls will be watched to
see they reach their destinations. Some
action will he taken to safeguard the
savings of immigrants with private
bankers. The abuses of ticket and
employment agencies will be fought
Assistance will be given to immi-
grants in the courts. \ central regis
try bureau may be formed, so that
the thousands Of immigrant children
can be educated An attempt-will be
made 10 change conditions in the labor
camps up in the state of New York,
where thousands of immigrant aliens
are working
Wider Distribution of Aliens.
The committee will attempt in time
/ TO put into effect plan for wider
distribution of aliens SO as TO relieve
congestion in Manhattan. An attempt
will be made to get the railroads lead
ing out of New York city to establish
immigrant agents or agencies. These
would keep the committee informed
Of opportunities for labor and for the
establishment of business and obtain
! ing farm lands along their routes. The
committee would keep this informa ton
filed for the benefit of immigrants
and would cooperate with the various
railroads In establishing immigrants.
This is II plan of distribution" said
Miss Keller. that has been tried
with excellent success by some of the
western railroads. some of which
spend from $4,000 to 100000 Il year
in establish ing immigrants along their
| routes. 1t is to the benefit of the rail-
road and to the benefit of the state.
and it is Il plan that requires no vast
fund or removal bureau to carry II
into effect.
The first thing we intend to DO Is 70
establish IN agent ut Ellis island AMI
one on the docks from which the boats
leave for New England \ great many
immigrants travel mp 10 the New Eng
| land ports these lines