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5418474_11_0593.xml
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5418474_11_0593.xml
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<title>
<bibl><title>Illinois Staats-Zeitung</title>,
<date when="1881-07-11">July 11, 1881</date>.
<title level="a">Protection for Immigrants</title><title level="a" type="sub">Efforts of the Deutsche Gesellschaft to Eliminate Existing Conditions</title></bibl>
</title>
</titleStmt>
<publicationStmt>
<publisher>The Newberry Library</publisher>
<pubPlace>Chicago, Illinois</pubPlace>
<address>
<addrLine>60 West Walton</addrLine>
<addrLine>Chicago, IL 60610</addrLine>
<addrLine>USA</addrLine>
<addrLine>http://www.newberry.org</addrLine>
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<idno>5418474_11_0593</idno>
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<notesStmt>
<note>Transcribed from digital images contributed to the Internet
Archive by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</note>
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<bibl><title>Illinois Staats-Zeitung</title>,
<date when="1881-07-11">July 11, 1881</date>.
<title level="a">PROTECTION FOR IMMIGRANTS</title><title level="a" type="sub">Efforts of the Deutsche Gesellschaft to Eliminate Existing Conditions</title></bibl>
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<body>
<p>The capacity of the local Deutsche Gesellschaft (German Society) is taxed to the utmost because of the great increase in immigration. Nearly all immigrant trains bearing passengers to the West come to Chicago, the hub of the American railroad system, and all immigrants change trains here and stop in the city for varying periods. The protection of Germans who cannot speak English and are therefore easy prey for confidence men is one of the principal tasks devolving on the Deutsche Gesellschaft; and considering the limited means at the Society's disposal, its activities in this respect are truly noteworthy and commendable.</p>
<p>The worst evil against which immigrants must be protected is the indifference and rapacity of the railroads, for in many cases they fail to do anything for travelers who entrust themselves to the transportation companies while in Chicago.</p>
<pb facs="5418474_11_0594.jpg" n="2"/>
<p>The following letter, which the Chicago Deutsche Gesellschaft sent to the German Societies of New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia on the 23rd of June, gives quite a clear picture of existing conditions.</p>
<p>"The unusually large increase in immigration this year strained our capacity considerably. As you probably know, we were successful lately in improving the conditions and the management of hotels and lodging houses catering to immigrants, and we shall not rest until profiteering at the expense of recent arrivals is practically impossible in our city. Along with these activities we are also endeavoring to provide absolute protection to immigrants against exorbitant charges of any kind while they are on trains or in railway stations. For that purpose a committee visited all the railroad stations of the city and was present when immigrant trains arrived. Only one railroad company showed proper concern and conducted its affairs in a manner fully conforming to our ideas--the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Line, which has adopted all our suggestions for general improvements as well as for the treatment of immigrants, and now, since the new station has been completed, that Company's policy may <pb facs="5418474_11_0595.jpg" n="3"/>indeed be regarded as worthy of emulation. All other railroads lacked the proper conveniences and failed to provide adequate protection against fraud, showing carelessness in their relations with travelers. We have been informed that employment agents and representatives of lodging houses even boarded the trains of a certain railroad a hundred miles out of Chicago. Such convincing titles as "steamship agents" were used, and in the time [between their boarding the train and its arrival in Chicago] these men gave misleading advice to unsuspecting immigrants. Naturally we cannot tolerate such conditions, and we are determined to eliminate them.</p>
<p>"All the railroad officials with whom we conferred were very polite and promised much. However, we must inform you that in most cases they have not proceeded beyond their good intentions.</p>
<p>"If we are able to show the railroad companies that immigrants choose certain lines because of advice given by the Deutsche Gesellschaft of Chicago, then we may be sure that our requests will be considered and acted upon.</p>
<pb facs="5418474_11_0596.jpg" n="4"/>
<p>"We therefore ask you kindly to give us information on the following points:</p>
<p>"1) Upon their arrival at Castle Garden, who directs the immigrants to the railroads?</p>
<p>"2) How do the immigrants procure their railroad tickets, and who advises them which lines are preferable or offer the most advantages?</p>
<p>"We feel that you will agree with us, that it is our duty to see to it that the immigrants use those railroads which show the greatest interest in their passengers and provide the greatest protection. And as long as various railroads show indifference, and their policies and their rules ignore existing conditions, then immigrants should not patronize these companies.</p>
<p>"We believe that we can count on your valued co-operation in this matter.</p>
<p>"Very respectfully,</p>
<p>"The Executive Board of the</p>
<p>Deutsche Gesellschaft,</p>
<p>"Chicago, Illinois."</p>
<pb facs="5418474_11_0597.jpg" n="5"/>
<p>According to the replies received, not much can be expected of the Deutsche Gesellschaften [German Societies] at ports of entry in so far as protection of immigrants against undesirable railroads is concerned, and therefore it will be necessary to do in Chicago what was neglected at the coastal cities.</p>
<p>About the most effective curb on exorbitant rates at lodging houses would be the maintenance of a large hotel for immigrants under the direct supervision of the Deutsche Gesellschaft. The railroads having terminals in Chicago would contribute liberally toward such an enterprise if they realized what benefits would thence accrue to the transportation companies. But as long as such a huge immigrant building is still within the realm of wishful thinking, the Deutsche Gesellschaft should at least be supplied with sufficient funds to investigate lodging-house proprietors catering to immigrants, since, unfortunately, there are not enough policemen available to enforce the few regulations which have been enacted for the protection of immigrants.</p>
<p>Only if Chicago's entire German population takes an active interest and supports <pb facs="5418474_11_0598.jpg" n="6"/>the Deutsche Gesellschaft will it be possible for the latter to give adequate protection to our immigrants, and nothing is so derogatary to the reputation of our Germans here as their apparent indifference to the activities of crooks and confidence men who fleece immigrants at every opportunity. Let us see to it that our countrymen who have stayed in Chicago on their westward journey shall always have pleasant memories of our city.</p>
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