The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-09-18

! Uncle Sam is now going to furnish
information bureaus for his nephews
and nieces.
| Primarily, these bureaus will be for
nephews and nieces by adoption, for
they are intended as a part of the
great scheme Of Americanization now
being worked out for the aliens liv.
ing in America, to provide first aid
for immigrants in any Of the thous-
and and one crises of life in strange
land
| 1t is unfortunately true that feel
ing has prevailed among certain
classes in the past that immigrants
exist solely to be exploited and de-
ceived. The ignorance Of American
customs so general among those in
foreign quarters, their tendency to
trust strangers, and the readiness Of
sharpers to prey upon them, all COM
bine to make their lot anything but
pleasant until they have learned
through long and costly experience.
Some of the immigrants have rela-
tives in America and probably most
of them have friends here; large
numbers are aided by such organiza-
tions as the Hebrew Sheltering Aid
Association and others with the same
aims. But with all that friends and
charity can do, the immigrant at
times has hard time in America,
and to save him some of the more
painful and expensive experiences the
United States Government is estab-
fishing bureaus throughout the coun-
try where the worst of his troubles
can be settled.
In many stores of shady reputation
it is the regular practice to over
charge the immigrant. Lawyers of
the shyster class charge him exorbi-
tant fees for little or no service, and
runners" exploit him wherever pos
sible. Fly-by-night bankers" open
establishments in foreign quarters,
where they offer to send remittances
home to the families of men working
here. Some of them never send any.
thing back at all; large numbers
charge from twice to ten times what
the service would cost II the immi.
grant knew where to go.
Even in the event of sickness and
death the immigrant is exploited, il
he Is so unfortunate as to find an
subscriptions physician or undertake
: err 1t is too often the rule that ma
tive-born citizens pay little attention
to the desires and needs of the i'm
migrant, and the consequence is that
he frequently becomes much disap-
pointed with his career In America
To remedy this whole situation is
the aim of the Commissioner of Nat
urslization, whose bureau is part
of the Department of Labor. To
show Americans their responsibility
to the foreign born, and to show i'm
migrants how they can become not
only Americans in legal form but
thoroughly imbued with the spirit Of
| Americanism, is the aim of the in
formation service planned for the va
! rious cities.
Posters, moving pictures, the press,
in fact every avenue through which
the immigrant can be approached
will be utilized to reach him. He
will be taught, in his own language
and in English alike, that the United
States wants to help him; that he has
only to make his wants known to be
assured of aid
The information Offices will help
Immigrants in bringing their families
to America, in recovering money OF
which they are robbed through fraud
and in other ways assisting to make
life In America pleasant and profitable
Immigrants will be encouraged to
ask questions whenever they are in
about their course of conduct OIL
when emergencies arise.