The European War Orphans’ Exhibit of the Joint Distribution Committee was opened Monday night at the Grand Central Palace.
Col. Herbert H. Lehman read a cable signed jointly by Felix M. Warburg, Arthur Lehman and James H. Becker, who are abroad. The cable read: “After seeing our splendid orphan work in Palestine and also extraordinary success in the Near East and Greece and seeing the lack of efforts in many countries just visited, we feel the foundation for better workmanship and citizenship can and must be laid in child care. Your exhibition shows how teachable youth of all nations is. We have right to be proud of work which we are exhibiting and hope the public will correctly evaluate work and philosophy behind it.”
Col. Lehman paid a tribute to Mrs. Jonah J. Goldstein who was chairman of the committee which arranged the exhibit and to her associates Mrs. Carl M. Loeb and Mrs. Charles Cohen.
The exhibition consists of handwork by Jewish orphans who have been trained in arts and industry through the efforts of the Joint Distribution Committee. The exhibition will continue until April 11th.
James N. Rosenberg, who addressed the gathering, following the introduction by Col. Lehman, stated:
“A year ago, on my way to Russia, to investigate the agricultural work there, I spent several days in Berlin. Dr. Bernard Kahn had just arranged an exhibit of the work of the Jewish orphans educated for industrial life through the funds of the J. D. C. The opening of this Exhibit a year ago in Berlin was a distinguished occasion. Ambassadors from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Czecho-Slovakia and Roumania were present to testify to the excellence of the work in their countries. Dr. Jacob Gould Schurmann, American Ambassador to Germany, made the opening address, pointing out the constructive work that is done in these countries through the help of American Jews.
“When I saw this splendid Exhibit, I suggested to Dr. Kahn that a small portion, at least, of the work should be sent to America so that we might here “see a little of what the J. D. C. is endeavoring to do.
“Before the war most of the Jews in Central Europe and Russia were petty traders since all other occupations were denied them. With the change in economic conditions, opening vistas for industrial and agricultural work, it has been the constant endeavor of the J. D. C. to aid in such work when that work is sponsored and supervised by the leaders of European Jewry themselves. To them, these self-sacrificing leaders, I wish to pay an especial tribute.” Mr. Rosenberg declared.
“The only American representatives of the J. D. C. in Europe and Russia arc Dr. Rosen, at the head of the Agricultural work in Russia and David Schweitzer who is chief accountant of all the work both in Europe and Russia. For the conducting of the work itself throughout these lands, we depend upon Committees of the leading Jews in every town and city. In Poland, for example, the Jewish leaders themselves organized and supervise a Central Child Care Organization. This is typical of the methods adopted by the J. D. C. While in times of famine and plague the work of the J. D. C is necessarily palliative our primary aim at all times is to help in reconstructive work. Thus the 19.000 children still in the care of the J. P. C. arc, so far as possible, being trained for useful productive economic life. Over 4,000 of these orphans have already become self supporting young men and women. Over 5,000 are today receiving vocational instruction for trade and industry.”
Mr. Rosenberg said there were eighty; schools maintained in eight countries in which Jewish children are being trained for industrial life. “For the schools of this work the chief thanks are due to the able, splendid and self-sacrificing men and women in these countries who are devoting a large portion of their lives to this work. In all of these countries the Governments and municipalities have themselves recognized the worth of our work by aid in its support. There are 500 committees of European Jews who are cooperating with the J. D. C in this work,” he stated.
One out of every four immigrants coming to the United States goes to New York State to make his future home, the Bureau of Immigration announced. Of 216,454 immigrants admitted during the eight months from July 1, 1926, to the end of Februaty. 1927, 56,231 went to New York. Out of 32,074 admitted in February 6.012 settled in that State.
The February admissions included 21.695 immigrants and 10.379 non-immigrants. In January, 28,023 aliens entered, of whom 18.804 were immigrants and 9,219 non-immigrants.
The departures of aliens totaled 16,034 in February and 13.981 in January.
More Mexicans than any other racial group entered the United States from July to February. Most of them went to Texas, which was second to New York State in the matter of permanent abode of immigrants. A total of 23,149 Mexicans were admitted during the eight-month period, while in February 4,229 arrived.
The principal other races admitted in February were German, 4.213: Irish, 2,720: English, 2,293; Scandinavian, 1,534; Scotch, 1.427; Italian, 1,076; French, 1.075, and Hebrew, 963. These nine races, counting the Mexicans, contributed more than 90 per cent of the total immigrants for the month.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
