The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-30
ENGLISH IS THE
FIRST REQUISITE
Essential That Immigrants Be Taught
Language, New Yorker Tells
Y. NJ. C. A. Conference.

TN the discussion, Friday morning
by the \ NJ c. 4. state conference,
in session in the boys gymnasium oi
the associations building, the topic
What we are doing and can do for
the coming Americans in Michigan,
enc point was agreed upon by all the
speakers. and that was the necessity
OF teaching the English language 40
the foreigners within our gates.
The very nrst step toward making
Immigrants American citizens must be
in teaching them the English Ian
guase. said Charles II. Towson, or
New York, industrial secretary OF the
Y. NJ. c. 4. International committee.
The work OF the Y NJ. {. \. among
the foreigners should have its incep-
tion upon the ships bringing them into
this country. There Is a tremendous
felC and tremendous necessity for
Y. VI. C. \. influence In the steerage,
al Ellis island. and other landing
ports. ana particularly at the points of
destination OF the immigrants. Good
work can be done through the rail-
road officials. Unfortunately II is
often true that conductors and brake
men and other railroad officials
handling immigrant trains do SO with
brutality toward the helpless men anu
women. strangers in a strange land,
but in most instances, II is pure
thoughtlessuess and word TO these
officials usually results in a hndiier
altitude
The Rev. Pietro De Carlo pastor
of the First Italian Presbyterian
church, and Paul kozelick introduced
as "cne OF the 10000 Poles in Detroit,
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 talk on County
work and our relation TO Michigan's
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" had nothing TO do with local OPP
ton but related to places lacking Y.
VI. c. A. workers and enthusiasm. and
he said there were altogether too
many sterile spots in Michigan.
At noon luncheon al which all OF
those present AT the conference and
a large number OF Detroit citizens sa-
down was served in the main auditor
ium. W. ;. Stone, of Cleveland. and
n. r. MacFarland. OF Washington. ID.
c.. were the principal speakers Fri
day afternoon.
The statewide policy" suggestei
by the executive committee was en-
Enthusiastically adopted. Thursday even
ing, and plans were Immediately
formulated 10 raise the 100000 en-
dowment fund. necessary for the es-
tablishment OF 80 new branches
throughout the state. Funds will be
solicited from all over Michigan, and
the delegates 10 the convention antici-
rate no trouble in raising the money.
References were made TO Chicagos
24-hour campaign 10 raise 100000 for
the maintenance OF branches In Chi
cago, and In the one day. $350,0O0 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 U.
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. C. A. activities in the state.
AT present there are so branches. but
as soon as the 100000 endowment is
obtained, the work or establishing 10
more will be rushed.