Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-14
EXPLOITING OF EMIGR0NTs
TO AMERICA WIDESPREAD
CONTINUED from First Page.)

manian subjects. give them the right
to leave the country. These special
passports are accepted by the Ameri-
sulate in Warsaw gives vises to about
5000 Polish Jews a month, and the
consulate in Bucharest to 1000 Bess-
arabian Jews. Most Of the emigrants
are ignorant villagers and peasants
who have never travelled.
Corruption Is Widespread.
Their exploitation begins in their
home towns when they first apply for
travelling permits. Corruption is wide
ern Europe at the present time. In
deed, 1t furnishes almost the only
method of getting anything done
There is some one in every town, who,
If the applicant Will pay him a suf-
f1ciently large sum. will guarantee
to get him 9 passport. Then the ap-
plicant must travel to the capital to
get an American wise. Here, owing
to the crowded condition of the consul
lates, 1t may be weeks before this
wise can be obtained. In the mean
time the applicant has to live some
where. Every city in the world ap-
parently is oveFcrowded just now
and ignorant. inexperienced persons
are always robbed in the big cities.
After obtaining the vises, the appli-
cants must try to get railway tickets,
and, because of the crowded condition
of the trains. this may require the
payment of more bride money. FL
Danzig, Marseilles, Amsterdam or
some other port of the transatlantic
liners. Here they must wait for pas
sage and more money is consumed.
Some have their pockets picked and
some are swindled by the money
guage but their own, they cannot
make themselves, understood.
Charities Try to Aid Them.
Certain charitable agencies are now
attempting to help them to some ex-
tent. One is the Jewish Emigration
Aid Society and another is the Young
Mems Christian Association, which is
huts with Interpreters
at emigrant transit points, such as
the frontiers and ports.
One cannot help being struck by
the. apparent lack of practical method
in sorting out the individuals to
whom American vises are given or
refused. 1t seems to be largely a
question Of the emigrant engaging
the services of a clever agent in his
own National Capital. Most of the
ignorant class of society and many
exhausted by their travels are unable
to answer even the simplest ques-
tons put to them in their own
language. Those who succeed best
are, therefore, those who come &C
companied by clever interpreters who
can answer the consuPs questions In
diligently and fill out the necessary
formulas.
With the best possible will, it is q
practical impossibility for American
! consuls to verify the claims of the
applicants or to ascertain. for exam
| pie, whether or not they are anar'
! chists or bolsheviki. Moreover, the
writer is informed that a consul l:
not really obliged to pass on an ap
| plicants qualifications, but only t.
| warn him that if he fails in these
1 qualifications he will be refused entr!
/ when he arrives in America.
j. There is. therefore, no genuine in
j vestigation before the emigran
/ reaches New York. The question nat
I urally arises whether there is on
/ there or whether on the strength O.
/ the American wise obtained in Europ'
I the emigrant is allowed to enter afte
| a merely formal interrogation.