NUMBER OF WORKERS AND PERSONS ASSISTED

At the port of New York alone, in the year 1907, over 14,800 immigrants were put into the hands of missionaries and representatives of these immigrant homes. Moreover, these figures are much below those that might be shown if all cases were noted. One home alone, for example, provided with board and lodging during that year 5,378 men, 1,822 women, and 60 children. Of this number only 922 men, 1,062 women and 34 children were sent to the home by the immigration authorities.

In New York, in June, 1908, there were 41 separate organizations engaged in this work, that kept at Ellis Island no fewer than 87 missionaries and representatives. All these representatives are supposed to furnish their services free of charge to the immigrants and to be persons of high character, into whose hands it is safe to place the needy immigrant who is ignorant of the customs of this country. Unfortunately, investigations have shown that in many instances these representatives are not worthy people, and that the homes have been so conducted as to be not a help but a menace to the immigrant. In 1910 even a missionary was forbidden to work longer at Ellis Island on account of mistreatment of immigrant girls by overcharges for board and lodging and delays in finding work for them.

These missionaries and representatives of the homes, when meeting the immigrants, are supposed to write letters for them, to help them get into communication with their friends and relatives, to trace lost baggage, to give religious consolation in time of need, to escort them without charge to their destina

tions in the city, to assist them in going to their destinations in different sections of the country and to notify in advance the friends and relatives or the representatives of organizations in those cities, so that they may be properly met. Besides this, they often distribute clothing, Bibles, and other literature, and sometimes sell Bibles or other books to those who wish to purchase them. Moreover, for immigrants who have been detained by the immigration authorities, and whose cases may perhaps be treated with undue haste, owing to the pressure of business, they appear before the Board of Special Inquiry and assist them in presenting their case.

COOPERATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

The Government, recognizing the need, has, generally speaking, welcomed these missionaries and representatives of the immigrant homes. In some of the stations it has provided them office room, and given them access to the immigrants whenever this seems to them desirable. Unfortunately, it has appeared that the missionaries are sometimes not worthy of the confidence that has been reposed in them. In many cases they seem to feel that they are doing their work best when they get the largest number of immigrants put into their care. Moreover, in some instances at least, they wish to get these immigrants, in order that they may make a profit. One or two have even declared that their institutions could not exist unless they received immigrants from the immigrant station. Altho they are supposed to furnish their services free, or at actual cost, there have been instances where a representative of a home has brought immigrants that were placed in his charge back to the station, saying

that he could not receive them because they had no money. Even since 1910 instances of overcharges have been found.

DETAILS OF WORK

The work done by the representatives of these societies in appearing before the Board of Special Inquiry and seeing to it that the immigrants get justice, is often a worthy work, altho in some cases they push unduly the claims of the immigrants and even violate the spirit of our immigration law. According to the report of one of the societies, in 1907 their representatives appealed 1,906 cases. As the result of this appeal, 1,252 were admitted and only 654 debarred. This shows that in this case, at any rate, the societies' work was needed.

On the other hand, there have been instances where the agents of the societies have been instrumental in securing the admittance into this country of contract laborers contrary to law. Agents of the Immigration Commission, representing themselves to be agents of firms who wished to employ immigrants from Europe, asked some of these representatives if they could import workmen. In certain instances they agreed to do so. One asked to think the proposition over, with the evident intention of engaging in the work, while some stated that they would be glad to go back to their own country to get the immigrants to come and to see to it that they were well placed in positions hereeven tho this entire activity is contrary to law. With scarcely any exceptions, it was found that at the immigrant stations there were some worthless, unprincipled missionaries and representatives, altho, of course, in many cases, these representatives were worthy people. The certainty of the unworthiness

and lack of principle is shown from the fact that one, a clergyman, frequently went to an immigrant station intoxicated; in another instance a minister charged the relatives of detained immigrants large fees for getting the immigrants out of the detention room; other representatives went so far as to insult girls and women who were placed in their care.

Results of Investigation of Immigrant Homes

The Immigration Commission investigated carefully no less than 44 representative immigrant homes in seven different cities. In most cases these homes were located in good neighborhoods; in some instances, however, they were not in localities that were really safe for immigrants, especially for young wo

men.

In certain instances these homes, altho they accommodated both men and women, or even women and girls only, were managed by men, with no matrons on the executive staff.

A large majority of the homes investigated were clean, comfortable, and reasonably sanitary; but a considerable proportion, perhaps one-third, were overcrowded, badly ventilated, filthy, unsanitary.

In a majority of the homes investigated, the food furnished was sufficient and good enough in quality, but in many individual instances the food was not sufficient in quantity and left very much to be desired in quality. Of course, it is to be expected that in such places the food must be simple and plain, but it ought invariably to be wholesome and sufficient in quantity. The prices charged by these homes are sufficient to cover the cost of good, wholesome, tho simple food.

The investigation showed also that altho the boards. of directors of these institutions are probably acting conscientiously and are at any rate usually men of good standing, frequently clergymen, and altho these societies are supported in good part by religious organizations, sometimes with subventions from some foreign government, due care was not shown in selecting either the local superintendent in charge of the home or the representatives that met the immigrants. Altho the boards of directors in some cases reported that they frequently inspected the homes and supervised them carefully, in many cases this supervision was greatly lacking.

Perhaps the worst charge brought against the homes was that the managers were not sufficiently careful in investigating the places to which girls who applied for positions as servants were allowed to go. In a majority of the cases investigated it was found that people, representing themselves as agents and managers of disreputable houses, were able, by payment of a small fee, to have placed in their charge for work in one of these houses as ordinary servants, young immigrant girls, who in many instances did not know the kind of place to which it was purposed to send them. Of course, it is the duty of the managers of these institutions to do what they can to secure good, paying positions for the girls who are in their care, but certainly they should exercise discretion enough not to permit them to go into houses where their morals would be decidedly endangered.

When a girl is sent for to fill a position, a home of this type ought to investigate the place before letting her engage to work there. Moreover, after the girl has been placed in a position, the home ought to see