Evening star., 1940-07-11
European Children
Coming 10 U. 5. May
Total $1,000
Much Depends on Getting
Adequate Funds, Says
Miss Lenroot

+. Lenroot estimated today.
Miss Lenroot, chief of the Chill
dren's Bureau of the Labor Depart
ment, said hundreds of boys and
girls from to 16 years old already
are arriving weekly to live with
friends or relatives, and plans are
nearing completion for mass re-
moval from England of British,
French, Belgian, Dutch and other
children to be cared for here by
strangers.
Come to Canada First.
Children will be brought to Can
ada first, and some of them will be
sent on to the United States" she
said.
She estimated that half of the
10000 brought to Canada would
come to the United States but en-
phasized that the figures were tenta-
tive.
so far, response in the United
States Is such as to indicate that
we will be able to find homes for
children to be sent here" Miss Len
root added.
However, much depends on Sc
curing adequate funds. A campaign
now is under way to raise IS ,000,-
600. I think 1t is very important
that this work go on"
Agencies of the Board of Public
Welfare stand ready to give what
ever assistance Is needed in finding
proper Washington homes for Eu-
ropean refugee children who may be
brought here, it was revealed today
by Robert E. Bondy, welfare director.
However, he said, there has been
no present call for aid in specific
cases in view of difficulties of finding
transportation of the children from
England to this country. Mr.. Bondy
has been in conference recently with
various groups interested in finding
homes for the refugee children.
| Mr.. Bondy is member of the
Federal-State Relations Committee
of the American Public Welfare
Association, which is interested in
the matter, and also recently be-
came chairman of the National
Social Work Council, a body repre-
senting 26 of the principal national
social welfare organizations
The immigration quota for the
country of which the child is a
native governs the number allowed
to enter the United States each
month, but President Roosevelt said
at his press conference Tuesday
that clearance had been granted by
the State Department for a large
number who have not yet come
over. He suggested that first con-
sideration should be given to the
question of available shipping &C
commodations, and his secretary,
Stephen Early, said British ships
were crowded with enemy aliens
brought to Canada for internment.
Task of Selection.
American ships are not calling
at British ports, and under the
neutrality law they cannot" said
Mr. Early 1.-The responsibility for
bringing the children over is en-
tlrely that of the British govern
ment"
The task of selecting the children
abroad is in the hands of the Chill
dren's Overseas Reception Commit
tee of England. Placement of the
children in United States homes is
under the supervision of the United
States Committee for the Care of
European Children, headed by
Marshall Field, with headquarters
in New York.
Cooperating with the United
States committee are various Or
ganizations interested in child well
fare.
A meeting attended by members
of the Children's Committee of the
National Council of State Public
Assistance and Welfare Adminis-
traitors was held last night at the
Hay Adams House
Miss Lenroot and Eric Biddle.
executive director of the United
States committee, made a report
on activities and discussed plans for
the work to be done by the State
administrators.
Placement of children largely will
be through already established CO.
operating agencies, such as chill
dren's aid and home finding socie-
ties and other similarly recognized
institutions, said Miss Lenroot, who
is cooperating with the United
States committee
Must Furnish Responsibility.
The committee has not yet COM
pleted details as to how Americans
should go about offering their homes
to the little refugees, but Miss Len
root said they would have to fur
nish satisfactory evidence of moral
and financial responsibility, al
though no bond would be required.
An American relative or close
friend of child in England should
write or cable to the Overseas Com
mittee the name and address of the
child to be assisted.
Persons seeking to aid child un-
known to them should apply to the
American committee or local CO.
operating committees already es-
tablished in 100 towns and cities,
indicating the type. sex and age of
the child for which a home could
be provided
In both cases the English COM
mittee and the child's parents must
approve.
The children may remain in
America as long as they wish and
apply for citizenship at the age of
81. Before leaving England they
must pass physical examinations.
Families volunteering to care for
children may contribute to the cost
of transportation, but that is not
a requisite.