Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-03-24
school. GIRLS :,
TEACH ALIENS
Give Valuable Aid in Campaign
to Americanize New York's
East Side Immigrants.
SEEK CORRECTION OF EVILS
Harry n. seh!aet, Head Of the Com
mission on immigration Aid, Has
Unique Plan to Protect New
corners Against Exploitation.

Corners Against Exploitation.
New YOrk.-The scriptural dictum
that "a little child shall lead them
is being applied 10000 fold In Amer
icanization Of New York's east side
immigrants,
Its practical demonstration was de-
scribed by Harry II. Schlact,, bead Of
the commission on immigrant aid at
Ellis island. who has conceived a
unique plan to protect newcomers
from exploitation by their unscrupu-
lOus predecessors and radicals.
Through the downtown chamber Of
commerce, membership Of which Is
limited to fOreign-bOrn merchants,
bankers and other business men who
have gained wealth In this country.
Mr.. Schlact has developed the idea
Of placing each immigrant family
fresh from the bewilderment of Off
cal red tape and the fantastic New
York skyline-In the custody Of an
American, or Americanized. school
girl. Ten thousand Of such girls
are spending their evenings and spare
hours infusing their charges with
American ideas and the rudiments of
the English language.
Rewards for Teachers.
Stimulated not only by innate in
terest In the quaint, detected and
often victimized and disillusioned
seekers for new homes. but also by
rewards from the chamber Of COM
merce for meritorious results, these
girls can be seen every evening, by
dim lights. spelling out cat. r-a-t and
other simple words TO enraptured old
patriarchs, scarcely aware that they
are transplanted In strange and yet
not dissimllar country from that
whence they came mt such sacrifice.
But before tell you In detail OF
this Americanizatlon work and Its re-
suits" interposed Mr.. Sch act. "let
me tell you something OF why they
may easily fall prey to radicalism."
lie then told OF how he was aroused
To the necessity for this work by
srne poignant experiences he had 60
Ing through Ellis island disguised as
an IiIlill' Nii. t''i sAs''S'>N
with the immigrants throughout their
trials at admission and learned. he
SAID. that thousands had been Induced
10 migrate by members Of an organ
ization which had swindled them OF
everything they owned before taking
them on shipbOard.
Since he has been on the island Mr..
t,,., IT tod fhnA
organizations, which he characterized
as professional tlim-fanimers. and
has caused the indictment Of several
individuals, some of whom have He'd
the country and the cases OF some are
still pending. Numerous others. he
said. who had luxurious Offices In New
York have scampered away and dis
banded operations. He described
their operations, while in fall swing.
somewhat as follows:
They canvassed east side homes to
learn II they had relatives on the
other side whom they wanted brought
to America. Invariably such was the
case. These friends" then told the
east siders they were going to Europe
and, II they liked, would bring back
the desired relatives. Delighted with
this blindness" the east siders would
offer up all the money they could
scrape together to help their loved
ones on their voyage.
Exploited by Radicals.
Equipped with these foreign ad-
dresses, the only thing that really in-
terestcd the exploiters, these agents"
would set out for Europe to transfer
their operations to new fields. But
instead Of turning over the money
sent by anxious relatives, they would
demand all they could get from the
poor Europeans before taking the neg
essary steps to place them on ships
hound for America. If'they could get
enough they could do this through
questionable methods with passport
bureaus and shipping companies, Mr..
srhact said.
$50 you see," he declared, "they
swindled them both going and com
Ing. This wholesale exploitation" he
continued, "is what makes t neces-
sary to do intensive AmericanizatiOn
work among these poor families, who,
through no fault Of their own. land
among us without education and with
out anything but misconceived Idea
that America Is O worse place to live
In than their home countries. They'arc
ripe for further exploitation by rad
icals who enlist their willing aid In
Haunting false ideals of capitalism"
While II Is imperative to correct
this immigration menace at It's source,
Mr.. Schlact said. those who have been
dumped into this country through in
fiuences other than their own volition
must be looked after. This Is what
the Junior American Missionaries"
as these schoolgirls are called. are do
ing successfully. he said. mot a
family placed In their care has failed
to make good" he said.