J.D.B. News Letter

Jewish Emigration Problem is World Wide (By Our Berlin Correspondent)

A picture of the world wide problem of Jewish emigration, its difficulties and its prospects in South America was presented by Edouard Oungre of the Jewish Colonization Association to the conference of the Hicem, the emigration organization formed by the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America, the Jewish Colonization Association and the Emigdirekt, the United Jewish Emigration Committee of Berlin.

“Emigration is at present a matter of great concern to the entire world, but most of all to Jews,” Mr. Oungre declared “Since 1923 the United States of America, the immigration country par excellence, has admitted in all between 10,000 and 12,000 Jews, while in the previous three years it admitted over 50,000 Jews. Before the war, the number of Jewish immigrants to America was 100,000 annually. In view of the economic difficulties against which the Jews have to contend in some countries, there is no ground to look for any falling off in the need for emigration. An intensive emigration activity will have to be carried on.

“Which countries,” M. Oungre proceeded, “are open to Jewish immigration? The United States are practically a terra clause to our emigrant masses. From 1923 till 1925 Palestine took first place as a country of immigration. But the crisis in Palestine and the unemployment there has resulted not only in a reduction of immigration, but it has also caused a very considerable emigration. Palestine is at the moment open to only a very limited number of emigrants, and will for a number of years be open only to a limited number of immigrants. Canada admits only such immigrants who have relatives in the country or who are farmers or domestic servants. There has been an increased immigration movement to Australia, and in South Africa, Dr. Bramson is engaged in an attempt to open the country for our emigrants. It must also be noted, M. Oungre went on, that France, too, is a centre of attraction for Jewish immigrants. At the present moment the frontiers of France are closed against immigrants, but as soon as they are reopened many Jews will find homes there.

“At the present moment,” M. Oungre continued, “our hopes are turned to South America, and principally to the Argentine, Brazil and to a certain extent Uruguay. Every emigration movement, if it is to live must have a colonizational hinterland. The excess of immigrants goes to the towns. The colonies of the Ica in the Argentine, with a population of over 50,000 Jews, have made possible the settlement of a Jewish population of over 200,000 souls who are distributed all over the Argentine. I can in this connection confide to you that the colonies of the Ica in the Argentine and Brazil are still able to absorb a big artisan population. All immigrants who are willing to do hard but well-paid work can be sure of obtaining satisfactory living conditions in South America. There is room only for skilled workers, artisans and agriculturists.

“The lines to be laid down for the migration work,” M. Oungre proceeded, “should be the following: Only those should emigrate who have a prospect of bettering their condition in the new countries and who desire to establish there a permanent home for themselves. The immigration movement must be controlled and in cases of need must be canalized or stemmed. The unregulated emigration movement has made the Governments of the oversea countries extremely cautious. There is no room in these countries for Luftmenschen, but there is plenty of room for skilled workers, artisans and agriculturists. Under these conditions, we have organized an extensive network of agricultural, professional and language training institutions. The professional schools of the Ica, the Joint and the Ort, are also rendering us excellent service in this direction.

“And now to deal with the position in the countries of immigration,” M. Oungre said, “The newly-arriving immigrants have no relatives or friends in the new countries. It is our task to fill the need of such relatives through institutions which provide the new arrivals with all necessary assistance. We must counteract the tendency of the immigrants to concentrate in the towns. The immigrants should be so distributed on the land that they should everywhere form connected groups. Our labor bureaus in the South American countries are in permanent contact with the employers of labor, the trade unions and the Government organizations. They watch very carefully the demand for labor in the country, and point out the most likely centres for those artisans who wish to settle independently. Evening schools for the immigrants have been opened in Spanish in the Argentine and Uruguay, and in Portuguese in Brazil. The immigrants should also be given professional training on the spot. It is a matter of the greatest importance that the legal position of the immigrants should be secured as speedily as possible. The immigrants should become naturalized. The overseas committees assist the immigrants in every way. They also give much attention to the welfare of girls and women who travel unaccompanied.”

M. Oungre reviewed the activity of the Hicem. “In Poland,” he said, “20,213 emigrants had been registered, 53,059 applicants had been dealt with, 36,934 persons had been given information, legal aid had been provided in 3,837 cases, and 8,341 dollars had been saved for the emigrants by obtaining reductions on their fares. In Danzig they had registered 2,329 emigrants, in Latvia 1,152, in Lithuania 2,240, in Bessarabia 2,093, in France 2,649 and in Belgium 428. They had in all these places registered a total of 31,504 emigrants, attended to 69,089 applicants, given information to 43,989 persons, provided legal aid in 11,999 cases, and saved for the emigrants 21,897 dollars by obtaining reductions on their fares. In Poland, Bessarabia and Latvia, agricultural training had been given to intending emigrants. 232 emigrants had been trained in 23 centres, at an expenditure of 2,187 dollars, which works out at only about ten dollars per head. In Warsaw, Lemberg and Kishinev, 49 persons had been trained in technical occupations. They had obtained very satisfactory results in the teaching of the languages of the countries of immigration. 30 courses had been established with an attendance of 744 pupils.

“In the countries of immigration, the Sociadad de Proteccion a lose Immigrant is Israelitas in Buenos Aires had assisted 1,208 immigrants, the Sociadad in Montevideo had assisted 677 and the Sociadad in Rio de Janeiro had assisted 850 immigrants, making a total of 2,735 out of a total of 8,000 immigrants in the period. Our committee in South America was informed by cable of the arrival of over 1,050 women and girls so that they were received on arrival and given protection.

“I believe that I am not mistaken,” M. Oungre concluded “when I assert that the machinery created by the Hicem and its affiliated organizations is at present in a position where it can be of the greatest service to Jewry. I am convinced that the measures taken by us to regulate emigration in Europe, and to direct into overseas countries an immigration which is adapted to the conditions obtaining in those countries will contribute towards raising the prestige of the Jewish emigrants and opening more opportunities of emigration for them. The carrying out of the program upon which we have decided will contribute towards improving and strengthening the position of the Jewish people.”