The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-19

Special cable TO THE Nhw York HERALD.
Cop,rioht, 1920, on THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Paris, Dec. is.
The little Ellis Island for Jewish
| emigrants. which has been established
by the Hebrew Sheltering Immigrant
Aid Society at the highest point in
Paris provides an interesting study
for sociologists and also gives some
idea Of the character of the emigrants
who are leaving Poland, Rumania and
Ukraine by thousands to seek refuge
from pogroms.
! THE NEW YORK HERALD's correspond
ent has been given an insight into the
society's work this week by Jacques
Chapira, formerly of New York, who
is representing tens of thousands of
Jewish citizens of the United States
who are banded together to protect
their less fortunate kinsmen from
frauds while they are journeying to
| America. AS was stated in THE NEW
YORK HERALD, 80 per cent. of the emf
grants arrive here penniless, having
sold their furniture and clothing in
| order to reach Paris. where help was
promised them. Whole families. often
numbering seven and eight children,
are arriving daily, the fathers bur-
dened with rolls of dirty bedding which
they are willing to throw in any COR
ner in order to rest while awaiting
west bound ships.
Registered on Arrival.
on their arrival here Mr.. Chapira
questions them regarding their American
| relatives, registering each case separate
| W. In the few cases where funds are
not lacking agents are provided TO buy
tickets and accompany the trains. They
conduct the emgrants through the three
| day process of medical examinations
which rejects all who are mentally de-
fective or who are suffering from dis
eases such as trachoma or tuberculosis.
But the moneyed class are in the
minority and from the others come pitt
| full recitals of woes which have resulted
from the social chaos of Eastern Europe.
Mr.. Chapira says he rarely fails to find
some friend or relative in the United
States ready to provide funds for the
voyage. In such instances he secures
| the cooperation of the cable and bank
| irg companies. Money orders are paid
to the emigrants in the societys shelter,
where the police are always present to
give protection from the hordes of ticket
sharpers who have always considered
Jewish emigrants their legitimate prey.
But sometimes efforts to locate Amer
lean relatives fail and II Is feared that
scores of emigrants have been swallowed
| by the Paris Ghetto's worst fate" says
| Mr.. Chapira For instance, we have
searched the city unsuccessfully for an
old member of family OF Polish Jews
who is known to have arrived here from
! Warsaw four months ago His friends
In Chicago have sent ample funds for his
protection. but after thorough combing
OF the alien quarters the police are now
| convinced that he has ended his life In
! the Seine"
The shelter has already saved many
orphan girls OF the devastated areas of
Poland from a worse fate. Only last
| week "a girl of II arrived from southern
Poland without other clothing than a
light shawl over ragged dress and
shoes from which her toes protruded
| She had only the name OF a distant
cousin living in Cincinnati, but within
forty-eight hours Mr.. Chapira had re-
ceived by cable funds sufficient TO
| clothe and feed tho girl and sent her IN
her way 10 America
I 1--WE can easily imagine what would
have happened to her II our society was
not operating here" added Chapira.
Worst Horrors I'm Ukraine.
The saddest class OF all is made IN Of
D
families have been separated by the red
terror. They are easily picked out from
among the hundreds of groups about the
corners of the shelter by their drawn
faces and their eyes. which seem to
burn with the sorrow that they have
seen. Calling one OF these men. Chapira
asked him 10 tell his story. He chok-
ingly recounted how in his Ukrainian
village one midnight horde OF drunken
and raving Russians burst open the
doors OF his home and slaughtered his
wife before hfs eyes. Then. while he
himself was bound 20 a table. they at
tackled his sixteen-year-old daughter.
leaving her naked and bleeding upon
the floor
You may hot believe u possible"
said he as he shuddercd and reached
into his pocket from which he drew out
filthy paper packet, which he unrolled
Ihat ls what / have left to remind me
of my sufferings. II is to escape that
that ! am going to try to rebuild my
life In America"
inside the paper was bit OF his
daughters skull with strands OF her
dark hair still attached TO t.
Mr.. Chaplra assured THE NEW York
HERALD correspondent that this emf
grants story was a common one. He
has obtained the cooperation OF Grand
Rabbi Levi. who has organized a French
society for the extension of work among
the Hebrew voyagers. A new refuge is
now being prepared with modern by
genic appliances and medical s'.rad-
ants to accommodate at least three hum
dred travellers. This will soma--Nat re-
leve the congestion at the present
refuge. but IL thousands continue to pour
from eastern Europe. as Is expected by
the immigration officials. the New York
society will be called upon to expend