Asks Million Former Immigrants to Aid Others Now (Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)
More than a million Jewish emigrants, transmigrants and immigrants have been assisted by the Jews’ Temporary Shelter in London since its foundation in 1886. Many of those who availed themselves of the services of the Shelter ought now to come forward with their help to repay for the kindness which was extended to them at the time of their distress in order to enable the Jews’ Temporary Shelter to continue its activities, Ernest Schiff, Vice-President of the Shelter, said in an interview with a representative of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency here.
One hundred and twelve thousand persons have stayed at the Shelter since its foundation and by its aid 23,696 proceeded to South Africa, 11,876 to the United States, 9,085 to Canada. 4,626 to the Argentine and Brazil and 1,504 to Australia and New Zealand.
About 16,000 refugees were looked after by the Institution during the Russo-Japanese War in 1903-4. Over 10,000 War Refugees were cared for during the Great War on behalf of the Jewish War Refugees Committee. Over 1,600 dependents of men who went to Russia in 1917 under the Anglo-Russian Military Convention were granted relief. Over 1,000 transmigrants stranded at Eastleigh in 1923 were provided for in conjunction with the Shipping Companies.
It is now responsible for seeing that none of those permitted to reside temporarily in this country should become a burden on the taxpayer or on any institution, and that they should not compete with British labor.
Over 200 callers every week are given advice and help in matters affecting emigration, transmigration, naturalization and other matters arising from the Aliens Restrictions regulations. The Institution is in constant and close co-operation with various Government and Municipal Departments, Shipping Companies and Charitable Institutions.
“I think that these dry statistics,” Mr. Schiff said, “show the extent of the activities of the Jews’ Temporary Shelter, which is appealing now to the Jewish community of Great Britain and especially to the hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants and transmigrants comfortably settled in the United States and in the Overseas colonies to give their assistance to those who, as they were once, are still in need of the Shelter’s help.
“No greater service can be rendered to our unfortunate brethren than to assist on their journey those leaving countries in which they are suffering continuous poverty and persecution to go to other lands where work and freedom await them. There is an impression abroad.” said Mr. Schiff. “that with the restriction of immigration the need for the Shelter has ceased. This is entirely erroneous. The work of the Shelter has not been confined to emigrants whose intention it was to settle in England. Its benefits have been, and are, extended to many thousands of transmigrants passing through this country. Even now the officials of the Shelter regularly attend the London docks and railway stations. During the past eight years they have met about 50,000 persons on their arrival. These mainly consisted of transmigrants whom they were able to advise and direct, thereby casing the terrors of unknown journeys.
“On the ground of even this incomplete summary of the Shelter’s work, the Committee is fully entitled not only to approach the Jewish community in this country and suggest that it is in their interests to supply the means to maintain our Institution, but more especially to appeal to those tens of thousands of Jewish immigrants who are now doing work in the United States, South Africa, Australia, Canada and in the Argentine, and remind them of the days when they applied for and obtained help from the Shelter. It is now their turn to do their duty towards other unfortunates who are knocking at the doors of the Shelter. My Committee,” said Mr. Schiff, “is sure that the £28,000 for which we appeal will be forthcoming mainly from the overseas countries. Every pound which will come to us from former applicants will not only show that the Institution has been repaid for the good it has done, but will encourage the present workers of the Shelter to continue its work.
“No institution has made fewer claims on the community during its 10 years of existence than the Shelter, and in view of the great work it has done, and is still doing, none deserves fuller support. It would he the best manufestation of goodwill and appreciation on the part of those who had availed themselves of the Shelter’s assistance,” Mr. Schiff concluded. “if they would form in their respective countries small committees to provide the Shelter with the necessary funds with which to carry on its work,” he declared.
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