Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-05
AMERICA ADOPTS
JEWISH REFUCEES
Fleeing Invading Germans of Russian
Poland. Men, Women and Children
Come to This Country.

Seattle, Wash, April 24-Since July
Is last, $50 Jewish young men and a
dozen Jewish women and children,
refugees from Russian Poland and the
other portions of Western Russia over
run by the German armies have ar
rived in Seattle after journeying
through Siberia by railroad and cross
ing the Pacific on steamers, mostly
Japanese freighters. A few have
come directly from Vladivostok, but
most of them took steamer in Yoko-
hama and Kobe. Many of the young
men are graduates of the Gymnasia,
which ranks with the American state
university All are we'll educated and
belonged to the better classes in their
native land. Some were wealthy.
When it became apparent to the Rus
slams that they could not hold War
saw they shipped out by rail, ma
chinery and supplies that would have
been of benefit to the Germans, and
they sent away the young Poles, Jews
and Russians whom they feared the
Germans might impress as soldiers.
These young men received from the
Russian commanders slips of paper
emitting them to travel eastward on
the Russian railways without charge.
The Russian and Polish young men
stopped their travel when they reach
ed districts which we're not threatened
with German invasion, but many Jew
ish youths continued to travel east
ward They rode free when they could,
but often they were obliged to pay the
trainmen.
The stories the immigrants tell OF
their adventures in crossing European
Russia and Siberia are highly inter-
esting. Those who were well provided
with money arrived in Vladivostok
first, made their way TO Japan by
freight or passenger steamers and, in
time, arrived in Seattle. Here those
who had the required sum of money
entered without hindrance, but those
who were without funds were ordered
deported. The detained immigrants
made their plight known to public
spirited Jews in Seattle. who assisted
the young men to appeal to Washing
ton against the order of deportation
| Then when the department Of labor
| said the men would be admitted il
! bonds were furnished, guaranteeing
/ that they would not become public
charges, these Seattle Jews provided
the bonds, and they are still signing
bonds.
When it was seen that the influx OF
young Jews probably would not end
while the war lasted the Seattle Jews
appealed to the Hebrew Sheltering
Aid society of America, which has
headquarters in New York. This so
ciety assumed part of the burden o
caring for the refugees. Ii provide!
! funds, arranged to handle the cases o
the moneyless immigrants at Wash
ington and assisted in the organiza
ton of a branch of the society in Seat
tie. with Leo S. Schwabacher as pres
ident
The Seattle branch looks after tn
refugees from the hour they arriv
until they are self-supporting. 1t ha
leased the former residence Of UniteI
States Senator Squires here and equip
ped 1t as home for the immigrants
Those who come with pockets full O
Russian roubles need only to hay
their bills exchanged for America
money and TO be assisted TO learn tn
language and communicate wit
friends and relatives in the Unite