Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-26

suit is that it is almost impossible
for the alien to aSsimilate himself to
American ideals and standards. He
cannot understand orders at work or
explanations in stores; If he opens
a store himself, patrons do not un-
derstand him.. he cannot get Amer
lean conceptions of life from Ameri-
can newspapers; he cannot become
citizen. Few communities take
advantage of the law by which the
State duplicates the amount the
community raises for such schools
passed in order to make such schools
possible, as their cost would be high
In towns with large alien popula-
ton.
The common schools do not meet
this need, as 30 per cent. of immi-
grants are above the school age
speak English are needed in the
schools, and more industrial and
manual training work.
The Greek boys who work in shoe
shining parlors are almost entirely
cut off from Americanizing infiu-
ences. They work sixteen hours a
day, seven days week, for miserable
food and poor pay, supplied by the
padrone who practically owns them;
they have no chance to go to school,
to play. or even to work in ways that
would bring them into varied contact
with American life. They do not
even get tho education of the street.
To remedy these and many other
undesirable conditions, the commits
sion makes very specific recommen-
dations, most OF which have been in
corporated in Sax bills that have been
presented to the Legislature.
A complete transportation system
is proposed for the transfer of both
west bound and east bound passen-
gers and their baggage. All such
travellers would be met by accredited
representatives of one official COM
pany. who would see them started
safely, expeditiously and comfortably
on their way.
The government should collect and
furnish official information about
agricultural opportunities. describing
the land. SOIL climate and average
values. This would reduce the con-
gestion in industrial communities and
turn many consumers into producers
for the New York markets.
The private employment agency
law should be inforced, and free en-
ployment bureaus, with special pro-
vision for immigrants, should be
opened.
1t should be made misdemeanor
for notary public to take acknowl-
edgments, or for a justice of the
peace to accept fees from the COM
plainant in issuing a warrant.
The local school board should be
obliged to provide an evening class
for instruction in English whenever
twenty adult aliens ask for it, and
courses in citizenship should be given
in the night schools throughout the
State.
The commissioner of banking and
insurance should have power to take
charge of the affairs of private
banker at his death, or upon a viola
ton of the banking laws. The in
vestment of private bankers should
be restricted in tie same way as
those of savings banks now are. The
commissioner should be given ade-
quate funds for obtaining evidence
of violations of the present laws.
{ The commission has been working
for two years with headquarters at
Hoboken. The members of the COM
mission are William Fellowes Nor
gan, Robert A. Franks and Robert
L. Flemming. Alexander Cleland di-
rected the work as executive secre-
tary AS no appropriation was made
Tor tne Work II ildu 10 De pdlu IoT ny
contributions from various persons
and from the New York-New Jersey
committee of the North American
Civic League for Immigrants. which
supplied both financial assistance and
help with the actual investigations
throughout the work. The members
of the New Jersey Committee of the
North American Civic League are
Sidney M. Colgate. Mrs. Caroline B.
Alexander, Miss Cornelia Bradford,
Robert A. Franks, Mrs. j. e. Chees-
man. ]. William Clark, Mrs. Edward
r. Hewitt, Joseph s. Frelinghuysen,
J. Dyneley Prince and M. Taylor
Pune.