Hias Leaders Protest Unfair Intelligence Tests for Immigrants

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

A special delegation of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid and Sheltering Society of America (Hias) consisting of John L. Bernstein, B. Vladeck and Isidore Hirsch-field, called on Surgeon General Cummings yesterday in order to confer with him on the so-called intelligence tests to which Polish Jewish emigrants have to submit when applying for visas.

The delegation drew the attention of Dr. Cummings to the fact that while the American officials in Poland may have sincere intentions with regard to the questions they ask the emigrants, the questions are of such a nature that they create the impression on the emigrant that he is being ridiculed. The applicants for visas then become confused and embarrassed and their replies cannot be considered an indication of whether or not they are mentally proficient.

Dr. Cummings evinced great interest in the statements of the delegation. He asked the committee to submit a memorandum and said upon consideration of the memorandum by the American medical supervisors abroad and by himself, he would communicate his decision.

The action of the Hias in this matter was based on complaints which reached them from many Jews in Poland that they are being unfairly treated by the American Consulate in Warsaw. It was pointed out in these protests that the officials deliberately engage in practices with regard to the mental tests which are in no way justified. The emigrants complain that they are asked ridiculous questions which frequently prevent them from obtaining visas.

The Jewish Workmen’s Emigration Bureau in Warsaw has collected a number of these questions asked the prospective emigrants and has published a few of them in the Polish press as an indication of the type of questions asked.

“Sarah Waldman was questioned for two hours by the American consulate officials in the following way,” the Bureau reports. “How many minutes and seconds are there in an hour ? What does one do when it rains? What is the difference between a man and a woman?” The Consulate refused her a visa because she did not answer these questions precisely.

“Mrs. J. Friedman of Pinsk was asked the following questions: “What is the difference between summer and winter? What is the difference between silver and iron?” To the first she replied: During the summer it is warm and in winter it is cold. Her answer to the second question was that silver and iron are two different metals. The consul refused her application for a visa. Two of Mrs. Friedman’s children had already departed for America and she and her sixteen year old son were to follow. The son obtained a visa but Mrs. Friedman must remain in Poland all alone.”

Other questions asked the emigrants included the following: “How many feathers has a goose? How long is a string? How many feet have ten horses? How many feet has an American cat?” Can you make a stove out of butter?” The emigrants, many of them elderly people, believe when they hear these questions that they are being ridiculed and they lose their composure. If their answers are not given quickly, they are often refused visas, the report says.