The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-29
ENGLISH IS THE
FIRST REQUISITE
Essential That Immigrants Be Taught
Language, New Yorker Tells
Y NJ c. A. Conference.

In the discussion, Friday morning,
by the y NJ. c. A. state conference.
In session I'm the boys gymnasium OF
the associations building, the topic
What we are doing and can do Tor
the coming Americans In Michigan,
one point WAS agreed upon by all the
speakers. and that was the necessity
OF teaching the English language 10
the foreigners within our gates.
The very first step toward making
immigrants American citizens must De
in teaching them the English Ian
guage. said Charles Il. Towson, or
New York, industrial secretary OF the
y. VI. c. A. international committee.
The work OF the Y. NJ. c. A. among
the foreigners should have its incep-
ton upon the ships bringing them into
this country. There is tremendous
ielS am tremendous necessity for
Y. NJ. &. A. influence in the steerage.
al Ellis island. and other landing
ports, and particularly at the points VI
destination OF the immigrants. Good
work can be done through the rail-
road officials. Unfortunately. IL is
often true that conductors and brake
men and other railroad officials
handling immigrant trains do so with
brutality toward the helpless men ami
women. strangers in strange land,
but in most instances, IL is pure
thoughtessness and word to these
officials usually results in a kindIier
attitude
The Rev. Pietro De Carlo, pastor
of the First Italian Presbyterian
church, and Paul Kozelick introduced
40. - 10 Il IL
beth spoke along similar lines 10 Mr..
Towson. and told OF their work among
the Italians and Poles in this city, the
latter citing the fact that the First
Polish Protestant church OF Detroit,
supported by the First Congregational
church, Is the first OF its kind in the
United States.
A. F. Roberts. Y. NJ c. A. county
work secretary, in a talk on County
work and our relation TO Michigan
dry counties" said that the cities with
all their manifold temptations were
far safer places in which TO bring up
boys than the average country com
munity Mr. Roberts term dry coun-
ties lad nothing TO do with local op-
tion but related to places lacking y.
NJ. c. A. workers and enthusiasm. and
he said there were altogether too
many sterile spots In Michigan.
AT noon luncheon at which all OF
those present at the conference AMI
a large number of Detroit citizens sat
down was served In the main auditor
ium. w. 5. Stone. of Cleveland, and
II. Il. mcfarland, OF Washington, ID.
c.. were the principal speakers Fri
day afternoon. A banquet Friday
evening with a toast list OF eminent
speakers will bring the conference 10
a close.
The statewide policy" suggested
by the executive committee was en-
Enthusiastically adopted. Thursday even
ing, aud plans were Immediately
formulated TO raise the 100000 en-
dowment fund, necessary for the es-
adjustment of 80 new branches
throughout the state. Funds will be
solicited from all over Michigan, and
the delegates TO the convention anti2i-
pate no trouble in raising the money
References were made TO Chicagos
24.hour campaign TO raise 100000 for
the maintenance OF branches in Chi
cago. and in the one day s350.000 was
Election of officers for the state as
sociation resulted in the selection OF
Robert NJ. Zug, president of the De
troit Y. NJ. c. A, as president and L.
S. Duncan, Ann Arbor. secretary.
The big campaign into which the as
ISOLATION has decided to throw all its
energies, will mean the actual doubling
OF Y NJ. G.. A. activities in the state.
At present there are so branches. but
"a 1. -
obtained, the work OF establishing 80
mora u-ill ha rttGbad