The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-10
HOW ROCHESTER TREATS ITS
 NEWCOMERS
Establishment of a House Keeping Center = Civic Banquet for Foreigners Settle ment Settles a Strike.
Richard Kitchelt.

Like many cities Rochester, IN. l., has received large accretions of ltaF ian Immigrants. speaking Httie ta, 11 their countrymen exclusively in cer- tain districts of the city. Here they practiced the habits, customs, lan- guage and diet acquired in the stone hut of the peasant. Their isolation them in large measure of | the social, charitable, legal and sanl- tary advantages the municipality of- | fered.
 Their ignorance of hygiene and san itation menaced the health or the ety. their lower standards of living reduc- ed wages: their ignorance of the law increased it's violation; their 1liiteracy rendered difficult their education In all things American. The unreasonng popular prejudice against anything alien was strong towards the ltahans and increa sed in consequence or the evils their segregation caused.
 The first definite step towards coun- teractinp these evils was attempted in the fall of 1907 by Florence Led yard Cross. She saw in the Italians high ideals, ambition for progress, artistic and poetic temperament and love for the good in life. She recog.. nized the obstacle to social, political and civic progress a divided popula- tion presented.
 Her first efforts were directed to the establishment of House-Keeplns Center'' to instruct them in American methods of domestic life. It was suc- cessful. Yet 1t demonstrated it's ln- adeouacy to handle the great proD- lems it uncovered as much as it prov ed it's usefulness for the work it was fitted to do. The work of Miss cross resulted in the conversion of an un- used triangle into a playground, now used by five-hundred to eight-hundred children daily. Later, group of Sl- ciIians sought cooperation in the pro duction of a Passion Play Wnlch they had themselve prepared, to show the Americans that we are not
 a low people"
 R11t the work of the Housekeeping Center opened glimpses into great problems of evil, misfortune and ln-
 justice. Little. girls were found to De
 working under legal age. Children were observed playing in the street
 during school hours Frequently gar bage collection was neglected TOT days and the people did not know they should have complained against
 the contractors. Unscrupulous par dons swindled workmen, who dlo not understand their rights, out of their wages. Destitute women and children were introduced to be poor-master py
 guides who exacted a percentage or the benefits for their services.
 The lack of some clearing house, through which the strange or ignorant the foreign or needy might be put in close touch with the existing oppor- tunity institution or person ready 10 | meet his want without cost or favor | become evident. In March with mon ey enough for a few months Miss | Cross opened Bureau or InIorma. | tion and Protection for Foreigners l centrally located in one of the Ital- | ian colonies. One of the rooms Is us- | ed IS a reading room
 l The new bureau was called upon TOT | service almost beyond the ability or | it's one regular worker. even with vol 1 unteer assistants to take care or. It ] has received regularly from the North l American Civic League for Imml- | grants in New York reports of all i newly arrived immigrant children bound for Rochester. It has located these upon their arrival ana arrans- l ed that they attend school. Former- | Iv children had lived for months and | wears in the city unknown to the | school authorities.
 Rv communication with employers positions have been found for unem, nIoved men. Advice from the Legal | Aid Protection Committee" has beer
 secured for others. Many cases o1 | tuberculosis and of other ailments have been brought to the attentloI of the Public Health Association anc
 the campaigns. against tuberculosis | cd by the distribution of leaflets 1T
 italian. Men were helped to take up vacant lot gardens. The Bureal maintains Board of Health pure
 milk station.
 Miss Cross was able to advance in struction in good citizenship ana va
 riety of practical subjects by artlcle , in the Italian newspapers. The Bu reau suggested the idea of a. Fourtl of July banquet for newly natural1zet . | citizens which was successfully car ried out by the City Lunch club. Tn the addresses simple and wholesom !: advice on civic duties delivered in va , rious laneuages.
 | Rut the work which brought tn bureau most prominently before tn | nub1ic was the part it played in {
 strike of some thousand of Italian la
 borers.
 These laborers despite the increase
 cost of living had not received an In
 crease in their wage rate for nln
 wears: they found 21 cents an houl
 limited as it was to favorable day
 to maintain even their notoriousl
 low standard of living. They gave fiv
 months notice of their wish for a f. increase and then struck. Four of tn ' five local newspapers misrepresente e the cause of the 1aborers. The polio O handled the strikers with uncalled fe
 brutality. Public opinion had litt sympathy with the striking dagoes 'I Then some of the strike leaders al e peaIed to the bureau. Miss Gro: n called together committee prominent citizens, had the laborel
 present their side of the case an o with it's aid changed the attitude r. press and public, finally securing r. conference with the contractors whic ,- resulted in the granting of an immet T, fate increase and an agreement to a III bitrate the wage question at lat W date. During the three weeks tf ,r bureau was in touch with the situ' ,+ tion there were no further arres
 and the perfect orderliness Of i'd o. men who believed they had gr1e 1t, ance and who were popularly regar' ,e ed as excitab1e and vicious. was n marked by the least friendly. O' Since the strike the demands ma. or upon the bureau have increased. l le existence and purpose have becon or better known among the Italians. 10 has shown them that they need & he the victims of graft and fraud, 3, exploitation, persecution and oppre
 sion: that they are surrounded WI
 benefcent agencies which are free