Evening star., 1943-04-18
The Gypsy Still
q Problem
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.


place in the sun, and when for the f1rst
time in world history they seem to
have the attention of q sympathetic
world, there is one group which makes
no plea, yet It's position in world social
life becomes more precarious. This
group represents the 100000 gypsies
scattered over the United States, and
several times that number in other parts
of the world.
The gypsy, apparently, is not worried
about his position in world affairs, but
there are those who have begun to worry
about the gypsy. Refusing to blend
with other races and settle down to the
normal pursuits of life, the gypsy be-
comes a sort of fly in the social and
economic ointment of several countries.
Changes have overtaken him, for horse
trading is an all but vanished profession.
and coppersmithing, at which gypsy men
are adept, is now a unionized trade.
Moreover, the American household Is no
longer receptive to buying handmade
laces which gypsy women are as profl-
cient in selling, or once we're, as they
are in its making
Unless all present omens fail, the days
of the gypsy in the United States, and
in most other countries, are numbered
numbered in that he can no longer llve
a carefree life at the expense of an or
| ganized and sensitive society. But the
| pvpsy refuses to be blended in the worlds
melting pot. He refuses to be anything
save a gypsy and do other than what
| his forefathers have done for 500 years.
The gypsies in the United States are
| largely the result Of migration from
| Russia, Poland, Eastern Europe and
| Turkey during the past 100 years.
| The passing of a number OF colorful
| families through England, just before
| the outbreak of the First World War, was
spectacular. These gypsies foresaw the
| coming of that conflict.
In song and story gypsies are still a
symbol of carefree romance. In reality
| they are human, veritable children OF
! the earth. When the earliest recorded
gypsy bands appeared in Europe during
the Middle Ages. they were accorded the
| privileges of pilgrims Soon, however,
| where they tarried. their paganism.
their aloofness from the normal pursuits
of mankind and their petty thieving
marked them as undesirable. From
country after country they were driven
| onward.
Apparently as from nowhere. "Egyp-
tians," as once they were known by
many. appeared in the mountains OF
Eastern Europe, on the Russian steppes,
along the fields and lanes of France. in
the high hills of Spain and by the
hedgerows of England. To be sure they
were not Egyptians. Egypt is one Of the
countries that gypsies have not fire.
| quented in large numbers. But in the
dark past, some masterful liar won
measure of difference for them by origi-
mating the legend that they were de-
scended from dark Egyptian Mary
who helped to look after the little child
Jesus in Egypt.
All gypsies came originally out OF
India, where they had been rowing out
casts. minstrels and jugglers, not unlike
the Doms who travel in India to this
day Gypsies call themselves Roms,
which is perhaps the oldest living word
for man" Their language, whatever dia-
lect they borrow from the country in
which they travel, is largely derived from
Hindu roots and their appearance and
many of their folkvays and customs are
obviously Hindu
Among themselves they invariably
speak Romany, and though very few Of
them have ever learned to read and
write. they have tremendous memory
for their ancient folksolgs. Some Of
their primitive, plaintive melodies still
deal with life along the sacred River
Ganges. But how, without rel!g: 3n or
history, or any literate bond Of unity.
they have preserved their loose free
masonry while dispersed through the
Western World for more than half a
century is miracle Of socia! inheri-
tance.
In earlier days gypsies lived we'll in the
United States. Never, in fact, had they
fed so we'll at civilizations table. Their
tinkers did thousands of dollars worth
of work annually. Without any knowi-
edge of mathematics and without pre-
else instruments, gypsy coppersmiths
mastered intricate patterns as instinc-
lively as nest-building orioles. As evil
dence of good faith they used to deposit
gold with a customer as a guarantee Of
their work. When the Government
called in gold the gypsies were profound =.
ly affected, for it long had been their
custom to squander their paper and
silver money and hoard their gold
Various suggestions have been nlade
for the gradual improvement of the con-
dition Of these nomadic people, to pre-
serve their native talents yet adapt them
to changing world. Projects to develop
their coppersnith crafts, and to hf:rg
their songs and dances to a wider audi =
ence have been proposed by friends and
students Of gypsy life. In few places
such step was taken, temporarily at
least, during the depression days few
years ago. In New York. Chicago, Cleve-
land, and in some other cities, large
numbers of gypsies found themselves
stranded. They banded together, set up
sort Of colony, appealed to local and
national relief stations for help. and IN
return for aid, gave community sings
and dances. Coming closer to the gem
eral population it looked for a time as
if it might be possible to melt the gypsy
after all. But when better times came
they struck the trail again.
In Europe gypsies have Jared better
than they have in the United States In
spite of RAMPANT nationalism and rser.