Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-07-21


women have been given instruction in sewing and
provided with material to make clothes for them
selves and children A school has been temporarily
opened to teach the children, and the New York
city public library authorities have donated
Der of books printed in German and other foreign
languages for the of those who have desire
to read.
The and women are permitted to mingle
more freely in the various detention wards, and
result Of these innovations the feeling which
prevails among those who have been long detained
at the station is more cheerful than it during
the first few months of the war; Attempts to es-
cape, which were frequent at one time, have come
to an end.
ELLIS island is the greatest portal in the world"
said Doctor Howe "There never has been any por-
tai like it for human beings. In normal times near
ly million persons enter the country through it
each year. They come largely from countries
where the government means only mtarism and
taxes; they to escape the feudal landlord,
from industrial and social conditions which have
become intolerabe. They come with hopes of a
fresh life of fresh chance, of opportunities for
themselves and their children. They carry with
them the visions of America which have been In
delibly printed upon their minds from the letters
which have gone back to Europe from friends and
relatives already in this country.
"And the immigration laws of America have, in
effect if not in so many words said that America
ed classes, those afflicted by disease or who are
likely to become charge upon the community. It
held out an invitation to the strong and able
bodied to come and share in the making of new
nation free from abuses and expressions of the old
world.
"And of those who come over 98 per cent are
admitted The rest are rejected because they fall
within the inhibited classes. And it seemed TO me
when / became commissioner of immigration that
the first contact of the alien with America should
be one that would impress upon his mind the thing
for which America stands that the treatment they
should receive, the experiences they should pass
through and the contact they had with officials
wearing the uniform of the United States should
be those of Kindness assistance and courtesy. They
come for the most part with fear in their hearts;
they fear government rather than love it. And
their instinct is to expect something very like what
they received at home.
'First impressions are lasting and it has been
our effort Ellis island to make these Impressions
as democratic as possible and to aid In as many
ways as could in protecting the immigrant and
assisting him to his final destination. For the i'm
migrant is imposed on he is exploited. To prevent
this much possible Offices have been opened
in New York city, one at the Barge Office, at South
Ferry, and the other at 240 East Seventy-ninth
street, to which the immigrant can go and procure
aid. assistance and advice about matters that con-
Germ him. Through these offices he is directed to
schools and to the naturalization Offices The Off
cooperate with the police department and with
all the many agencies in New York which have
been created to aid the immigrant. At these Offices
there are employment agencies which find work
for men and women and which aim to distribute
them to farming positions to relieve the congestion
in the cities
similar protection has been accorded the alien
in transit to the West, in securing the best trans
portaton facilities and otherwise relieving the Inn
migrant from the dangers which beset him while
reaching his ultimate destination.
"War conditions brought probably 500 men,
women and children to Ellis island who for
other had to go back to their native land;
they were not admissible to the country. Each of
these cases has been investigated personally, their
friends and relatives have been looked up, and in
the great majority of cases they have been adj
mitted on bond to some person willing to be
sponsible for them. Positions have been found for
hundreds from whom periodic reports are required
as to how they getting along. Only in very rare
cases have they failed to make good. In many
instances they have risen rapidly and now earn
ing very substantial salaries
similar efforts are being made to promote edu-
cational advantages for the adult immgrant-to
encourage night schools For the last year the
names of all children of school age have been
copied and sent to the superintendent of educa-
ton all over the country, in order that they might
Immediately place children in school upon their
rival at their destination BY these means the gov
eminent comes in immediate contact with the sec
ond generation of immigrants and begins its as
similation process Rs sgTTs A1ov reach this
country"