Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-12-11
IMMIGRANT QUESTION
DISCUSSED At D. A. R.
H. H. Wheaton, Of Washington
Gives an Illustrated Lecture;
Newell Albright Plays

About a hundred women gathered
at Boyd Memorial Hall of the
Y. w. c. A. yesterday afternoon as
guests of Harrisburg Chapter, Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution. Mrs.
Henry Mccormick. first vice-regent'
presided in the absence of the regent.
Mrs. Gilbert NJ. McCauley, who is Ill,
and after singing The Red, White
and Blue" and hearing the minutes
read by Mrs. Charles J. Wood. Jr..
Newell Albright played two piano num-
bers in delightful style, receiving round
after round of applause.
Then Harrison H. Wheaton, of
Washington, D. c., collaboration with
the United States Department of Edu-
cation, was introduced to speak on
Some Phases of the Immigrant Ques-
tion.' MIR. Wheaton brought home to
his audience the realization of the
ton has toward the immigrant stranger
within her gates.
by the thousands they are pouring
annually into our ports" he said, and
there are five important items to be
considered in Americanizing them.
First, the question of landing, the
elimination of the diseased and unit;
second. the distribution of them
throughout the country; third, proper
housing; fourth, remunerative employ
ment; fifth, education. You cannot in
terest the immigrant with education
unless you first provide him with a
means of livelihood.
From the beginning we have enc
mics to tight in the work. Unprin-
cipled persons are constantly devising
schemes of exploitation. These for
eigners are simple minded and credu.
lOuS. They believe anything told them,
especially If the teller is decorated by
double row of brass buttons down
his coat"
Mr.. Wheaton showed by means of
illustrated slides the progress of the
average Slav or Rumanian peasant
from the hour of his arrival in this
country to his final placement in the
new life. One of the first evidences
of Occidental influence is the change
from the brilliantly colored, pic
turesque garments to the dull dress of
the American workman. Another and
more important change Is the giving
place of the healthy, cheerful counte-
nance to that of the aenemic, disheart-
ened victim of the great white scourge.
Used to the simple village life as
these people are" said the lecturer,
our urban throngs and manners of
life confuse them. They are ignorant
of our business methods. When a man
lands In New York. remains there and
gains employment. he is obliged i'm
mediately to find lodgings. Sometimes
he goes to an immigrants lodging
house. Very often they have been
fieeced of all their savings in such
places even when they were run under
the auspices of a church or religious
organization which has dishonorable
employees. II the man has a family he
rents rooms In q tenement which will
be within his meager salary Here in
these ill-ventilated. dark. overcrowded
places are bred dozens of the evils
which our community has to combat,
infectious diseases, immortality, etc.
Loose Financial Dealings
The system of paying workmen by
check weekly or monthly is another
hardship for the immigrant. Ignorant
of our language, he cannot take his
check to bank for cashing or deposit
| unless he is fortunate enough to have
fellow wise in American
| customs to identify him. Feeding upon
| this pitiful ignorance has sprung up q
| host of so-called private bankers
These men are quick enough to take
money, but slow to return it. In some
such places the only form of receip1
is small piece of paper. When q
man deposits $25, one corner of the
paper is turned down. When $50
| two corners, and so on. Needless tC
say, in a few months the paper is sc
torn and ragged that the poor for
eigner has little proof of how much
of his money he has put away. II the
people at large could once know the
unprincipled schemes practiced by
these sharks they would surely all be
forced out of business
Mention was made of the special
trains of immigrants tagged like cattle
| to be shipped to inland cities and
| towns from the seaports. In some
cities. such as Buffalo, where changes
are necessary, they have their own
especial waiting room It is a touch
Ing sight to see these groups from ma.
tions and customs so different, bu,
with rare courage which carries
them away from all they have ever
known, over seas many of them have
never seen to land of whose Ian
guage they cannot understand one
word. They sit around patiently wait
ing, talking among themselves, many
reading their Bibles, but all waiting
waiting to be done with as the great
promised land deems best How con
temptible are those low men beasts oi
prey who steal in and out among them
addressing them in their own tongues
and by trickery robbing them of their
needed bits Of precious money. An
example of this was case In a CITY
depot where a stranger made friends
with young foreign youth and asked
him to go out to the nearest saloon
On the way he slyly dropped coun-
terfeit $50 bill. Turning in surprise
he pretended to find it. Then with
apparent generosity he offered tc
share 1t with the boy If he would give
him the money he had with him as
| change. Soon afterward the thief dis.
appeared
For Better Housing
! After many pictures of the wretche6
, housing conditions of foreigners EN-.
, ployed in railroad construction in the
country districts Mr.. Wheaton showed
several of modern concrete settlement.
which some progressive industries ar,
erecting. He said the results proved
J the wisdom of the plan. The womer
take especial pride in keeping thet
! little homes neat and clean and health
and comfort increase the laborer!