New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-01-09
TREATMENT OF THE IMMIGRANT

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Imagine coming in with me to the
United States in the steerage, say, or
that German ship which brought a loae
of 1900 immigrants, some eight years
ago; trip significant to me, for I triee
to test. theory which I held. be
lieved that if immigrants had chance
Ito become acquainted with American
ideals on board of ship, when they art
idle and most open to influences, it might
help them to make right start.
We begin when the immigrant has
been embittered by exploitation, his
mind poisoned and his attitude towards
the country and its institutions biased
and then it is too late. On this par
ticular trip I acted as an official might
act who has been designated for such a
task as I had in mind.
Nearly every hour of every one Of the
ten days we spent together I told them
what America means to the world,
what it might mean to them. told
them that it is a country whose govern
ment is based upon the fundamental
idea of human worth and dignity. I
impressed upon them that they are to
be factors in that government, and that
upon their behavior one towards the
other depends our common weA-being;
and what I said was not unintelligible
to the people to whom spoke.
I remember many individuals in that
group, and the members of one family
in particular stand out.
They had come from the Caucasus,
and had passed through horrible per-
secutions because of their religious ideas.
From Russia they fled into Turkey,
where they had to witness the horrible
butcheries of the Armenians.
Unable to stand it any longer they
decided upon the long, hard journey to
the United States. They fairly hung
upon my word. The land I described
was the land they were seeking; here
were the ideals for which they had
suffered, and they were not alone in those
anticipations. -. :
At last we came under the lea of the
sand dunes OF Long Island, and witnessed
the slow disclosure of that marvel of
cities, with it's heaven assaulting roofs
and spires. The ship lay at anchor and
the quarantine offers came on board.
The immigrants had been driven down
like cattle, and one by one were to pass
before the officers.
Their hats we're knocked from their,
heads by the impatient guardian of the
health Of the State; they were pulled and
pushed in fashion by which our in
effective hurry always expresses itself.
The spectacle was so. brutal that I could
not stand it. Jumped into the line and
made protest which was Ineffective, fer
I was threatened with arrest for inter-
fering with an officer, while the brutal
and brutalizing process went on as be-
fore. s-ilz. = (.
At Ellis Island the procedure was more
humane, and it is but just to say that
the Commissioners Of immigration in
the last twelve years have been men
above reproach, to whom the task APP
oealed as big opportunity for service.
At no time has there been more in
;ellisent head CT that institution than it
las in Mr.. Frederic Howe, who represents
he flower Of our American citizenship,
which ne wishes might be more common
han it is.
My family from the Causasus went to
Vest Virginia, to the coal fields, and were
heltered in a stcckade; which was mere
risen than hcme There was barbsd
wire around their camp, and armed
Yards to give. them further protection.
here was. a strike, and they did not.
now it. They We're dubbed by the
trikers because they worked, and then
truck with the butt Of guns when they
efused to work. s VI zz..z
That was the beg Inning either life
n America. Later had a letter sfrcm
he head Ct the family. = never answered
t, for he called me a liar, and that hurt
tremendously, because he was right. II
ever meet that man and find that be
s; not shouting America first, whose
,ault will it be? If find him in the
welter CT the T. W. W., who will be to
blame?
To the forlorn and forbidden, alkali-
burned southern edge CT Colorado, came
Greeks and Hungarians to dig coal.
They were isolated from everything good
and kept in touch with everything bad.
Now, after lcng strike for decent work.
ing conditions, they had been finally
beaten into submission by a militia whose
conduct was on the level Of Russia S
Cossacks. If they do not sing as Justify
as we, My country, tbs Of the, sweet