An information service for the American relatives of prospective immigrants has been instituted by the Hias, Hebrew Immigrant Aid and Sheltering Society.
Migrants, before leaving for their destinations, are registered with the Hias offices located in 10 cities of Poland, 4 cities in Roumania, one in Lithuania, two in Latvia, in Paris, Danzig and Berlin. Prior to the sailing of the boat, a cable giving the names and addresses of the American relatives is sent to the New York office of Hias. This is done so that Hias in America may immediately inform the relatives on which steamer their friends will come and the date of arrival. The relatives are further informed where and at what time the boat will dock so that they may be on the pier when the passengers are discharged.
The representatives of Hias meet incoming steamers docking at the port of New York and elsewhere. Immediately a steamer docks and the immigration authorities board the vessel, a Hias representative goes on board and remains on the ship until all passengers are discharged, taking care of the Jewish immigrants. If the relatives are on the pier, Hias transfers the immigrants to them. If they are not, the Hias representative brings them to the Hias Building, at 425 Lafayette Street, where after they are registered, the relatives are informed that they have arrived and that they should call for them. If the immigrants are going to another city, the relatives here are telegraphed to and the time and route of departure from New York City is given.
During the nine months of 1927 ending September 30th, there docked in New York City, 453 steamers carrying Jewish immigrants; 108 with Jewish immigrants at the ports of Boston and Providence and 179 at ports on the Pacific Coast, where there are Hias Branches.
Approximately a thousand Jewish immigrants a month who come here to settle permanently are met. With the number who come here temporarily, the Hias guides care for approximately 1400 new arrivals every month. The contention, therefore, that publicity of that sort will add to the coffers of the producers is sheer nonsense, rubbish and altogether irrelevant in the urgency to frustrate the false and noxious Impressions created by the film. To delay, in my opinion, is well nigh criminal, inexcusable. The story of Henry Ford is direct evidence infavor of a more firm and militant attitude towards our defamers and traducers provided truth and justice are on our side.”
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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.
