The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-23

| ing our American yIsns granting us the
right Of lawful and desirable cmigrnnts
TO enter the United States we are again
10 he confined like prisoners, doomed
to face all sorts Of mischief and dan
gers which we haycsbcen experiencing
In our long wandering mp to the pres
cnt stage Of our journey :"
The Appalling situation In Cuba
simultaneously with the new chap
ter of Jewish misery in Europe which
we have just described another chap
ter is being written in Cuba.
There. 1000 Jews are stranded. Most
of theme were persuaded to migrate TO
Cuba by INSCRIPTIONS agents of steam
ship companies who persuaded them
that after abiding In Cuba for short
period they would quality for admis-
sion to the United States. That is the
testimony of Mt least 10 per cent Of
those who went to Cuba only six hours
| from the United States"
Most of these are women and chill
dren destined to husbands and fathers
who have declared their intention to
become citizens Of the United States,
and young girls destined to near rela-
tivcs, AS matter of fnct, very few,
If any, could. under any circumstances,
qualify for admission to this country.
Here is what the investigating COM
mittee found:
/. That the cost Of living is so high
/ in Cuba, that these immigrants are all
undcrnourished. and many of them
starving, and the tropical heat plus the
unsanitary Environment in which they
live has caused an outbreak Of disease
among them.
p That rents are so high that they
are forced to live in the red light" dis
tricts, where rents are lowest.
B. That due to these conditions, the
girls are exposed to immoral influences.
Some of them have already succumbed
to these influences. Other may-unlcss
the situation is speedy relieved.
Die In the Struggle to Lave
The Cuban Jewish community con
sists Of about thirty families. When
the immigrants first arrived there, the
Jewish community rendered them some
assistance, but the burden has become
too great for them due to the increasing
number of these refugees. Besides,
there is no future for these refugees in
Cuba. II is an agricultural country,
mainly, and the chief agricultural pro-
raised ON large plantations, manly by
Negro and Chinese labor. whose stand
ard of living Is of the lowest. With
these the Jewish immigrants cannot
compete. Practically all hut ten per
cent of them are without employment.
There are but few industries in Cuba,
and in these the skilled workers among
the refugees cannot find employment
because they do not speak Spanish.
Some of the men are peldling, earning
from 30 cents to S1OO a day. Others
have died as result OF eking out
livelihood by peddllng
To relieve this situation, both in Eur
ope and in Cuba, to save thousands OF
other potential Jewish emigrants from
being caught in the same trap, to pro-
tect them against INSCRIPTIONS agents
of steamship companies, and to advise
them whether they may migrate and
find both opportunity and welcome, the
emergency committee on Jewish refu-
gees was organized with the following
officers Louis Marshall and DIR.
! Stephen s. Wise. chairman: Nathan ].
| Miller. treasurer: Bernard G, Richards
and Harry Schneiderman. secretaries.
! This committee was called into being
at a conference held in New York City
on June ~. participated in by thirty
three national and central organiza-
/ tions. at which it was decided that an
appeal should he made to the Jews of
! America for fund of $4,000 to be
used. first for the relief of the acute
/ distress already existing IN the ranks OF
the refugees, and, second. TO inyesti-
gate conditions in various countries,
Palestine included. and 10 foster Jew
ish immigration to those lands in every
legitimate way. These Investigations
are TO bc made hy competent experts of
economic. climatic, political and other
conditions in such countries as are will
ing TO open their gates to newcomers.
It Is the feeling of this committee,
based on authentc reports of the situa-
tiOn existing among these refugees that
unless help is speedily forthcoming, un-
less the entire $4,000 asked for is sub
scribed within the next few weeks, n
serious calamity will cnsue. The situa-
tiOn. which adds new chapter to the
book of Jewish tragedy, demands an i'm
mediate and generous response to this
appeal from every Jew who refuses to