Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-10-15

VIZ ASHINGTON, d. c., Oct. ia young Greek
wv in this country recently fell into company
with sharper who told him that accord
ing to the draft laws of America substitute could
be hired for a fixed sum. The Greek, thinking OF
mis- dependent wife, and knowing that Greek law
permitted substitution, scraped together the two
thousand dollars demanded by his adviser. A few
days later his draft summons came, and he learned
that he had been deluded Grief at the loss of his
savings anxiety about his wifes future, perplexity
and despair led him to commit suicide.
Such receptions of the ignorant foreigner are
shamefuy common. The immigrant who places
his trust in fifteen English words and the
kindness of the American public is overcharged in
stores doctors Offices and lodgings. If he is young
or has education he soon acquires an adequate Eng
lish vocabulary, and, after few sad experiences,
learns to take of himself. The less adaptable
alien, however, accepts the handicap of not know
ing English a part of his burden which must
somehow be endured, and continues TO be guilhble
mark for the sharper.
The working methods of the sharper with the
foreigner are, he himself would put it, ION the
quiet" For this he is difficult to locate and
still difficult to convict. 1t is easier for the
government to apply preventive measures in its
efforts to protect the less helpless element
OF our population.
The most effective way of helping the foreigner
is to substitute for the advice of the ubiquitous
ploter the advice OF a still ubiquitous govern
ment. To do this, information bureaus especially
for foreigners have been opened by the labor de-
partment in twenty more cities and still more
in process of establishment. Existence of these
bureaus is announced in the newspapers, especially
foreign language publications. Word of govern
ment aid is further spread through night schools,
moving picture shows, churches, naturalization
courts-al places frequented by the foreigner
Each government information bureau is estab-
lished in connection with the local naturalization
examiner and located usually in his office 1t offers
to the alien advice in any difficulty 1t explains to
him passport regulations the draft system naturali
cation law the liberty loan, and helps him, when
possible, to secure his rights If he has been
victimized in the past
The information bureau and the naturalization
bureau work together. The alien who applies for
citizenship papers is told to to the govern
ment representative in of difficulty. On the
other hand, the alien who seeks out the informa-
ton bureau finds himself in the office of the nat
uralization examiner where he is confronted with
statements in large print explaining citizenship
qurements. If he is able to read any of the signs
declares his intention of becoming citizen of the
egners in the United States, of which number 49,
100000 not citizens, these bureaus are i'm
pOrtant in their aid to citizenship alone.
Gratitude of aliens aided by the government
through the bureaus is expressed with unmistak-
able gestures by those whose limited English fails
them. Many offer payment to their advisers and
told that they can better please the government
by investing the money offered in War Savings
stamps and Liberty bonds. This suggestion usually
is followed. Recently, stolid Swede, who hither
to had expressed interest in investment, ap-
preached a liberty loan representative with de-
mand for him ito fix the money up for the United
States government, quick