Lit
mi
WKat; Miss ; Saxli e
Aitterican, Is Doing
Along. Manifold Lines
f or the Lowliesfof Her
Countrymen
f'"'CftMfl8l'lWii'r'i 'o'l,rlfT'J'
QlADlE AMERICAN is only one person,
a woman at that; yet it would take a
- b$ok to tell all that she has done for
the immigrant girls who come to these
shores. Miss An.erican is a Jewess and per
forms her work under the auspices of the
Council of Jewish Women, yet she ts not
clannish, and mdhy Christian gtrls have known
what it meant to have her tender hands ad
ministering to their needs.
She investigated the conditions in New
York and other port cities where immigrants
were sent, and the inland cities where they
made their homes Six years ago she started
the work and placed it under the auspices of
the Council of Jewish Women. Many of her
friends, knowing the success that Miss Amen-,
can had met in other fields and avprectajmg
her ability as a manager, wanted her to take
up the work personally ; but she decided that
it would be better for the council to do it and
for the Jewish women of the country to have
the credit for Jts success, so she turned her
plans and schemes over to the council, or
ganized the work and has since given her
heart and soul to the movement she did so
much to create.
i uDTf i iJ tins conducted hp work o
IV i thoroughly tht h ! conlJerd an expert
1YJL
. . w . - A ta avan hetter
known to the authorltle. In Europe thin
here. She ha studied every pnaee pi "'"'- thii
hM Mploded th. theory that rlrl. comln to thU
country to relatwe. neei no, &nf0- be
of bo;ue relatives that he has touna nae o
Thtwit that Mlu' American ha outlined U not
only to i"e the immigrant Klrl a hearty wtomV but
to hi T'that she reaches the home to which hj.
her to secure work, providing- her , with tS?Z
amtisement, plaoin7her. in touch with "lw
acenoles and advising- and f-Wlns; her n every way
possible. She does not watch a girt for week or a
rnonth, but for months and years, visiting her ana
keeping in close touch with her If, on theother hand,
the immigrant is ordered deported. Miss American ana
her assistants see that she makes the "turn trip in
safe hands and cables to ner relatives to meet her
when the ship arrives. . ...
Miss American has formed a chain of connections,
beginning in Europe from the ports that the gins
come; and links, added at the various port, cities in
this country where matrons receive them, spreaa
through the country to the varl.ous communities the
girls go to. The central bureau acts as a clearing
house, and it is from there that all the work is di
rected. Besides the various sections of the Council
of Jewish Women, there are 160 correspondents in
places where the council has no branch,
New workers are obtained by sending letters to
school superintendents and publlo officials fn cities and
towns where Immigrants have gone, asking for the
tames of respooslbl Jewish persona who could be
iterested in looking after newly arrived immigrants.
When the name la received a letter is sent asking
for his or her Interest and eo-operatlon. In this way
there la a list at the headquarters ot responsible per
sons in 260 cities who visit the girls at various inter
vals and report the success that they are having.
Foreign connections have been made in Hamburg.
firemen. Berlin, Libau, Antwerp, Brussels. London,
outhampton, Liverpool and Havre. Most of the Jew
ish Immigrants In the past nave sailed from these
forts, though recently some have been coming from
taly, and MlssAmerloan Is now engaged In corre
spondence with various Influential people toward mak .
tng proper connections there. - -
Before the Immigrant leaves Europe she la given a
leaflet printed in f three languages Yiddish, English
and German which explains the various porta of land
ing and warns her against strangers who volunteer
anslstance, offer addresses, give their addresses and
offer to supply work and even arrange marrlagea
At the four port cities where the agent are sta
tloned every case that is detained or ordered excluded
Is Investigated, and If, in the opinion of the -agents,
the exclusion Is unwarranted, the .ageXt prepares the
data from which an appeal la made, 'either by the
council or through Its central office, or, as Is the case
In New York, through the Hebrew Sheltering and Im
migrant Aid Bqolety. which does the legal work at
Kills Island.. The government has given Miss Ameri
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can and her agents every - consideration, has aided
them in their work and aaked them to make special
Investigations In cases which required careful han
dling. The trouble in locating a girl after she has left
Ellis Island, or any other port, cannot be imagined
by an outsider. The system that Is employed by Miss
American is to take the names of all incoming girls,
from 14 to 36 years of age, from the manifest sheets.
These names, with Information regarding their parent
age, destination, etc., are placed on Inquiry cards and
sent out dally to correspondents, with a request to
visit the girl and report back the conditions of her
surroundings. The cards are studied when they are
returned to the office and checked and tiled. If the
report isn't satisfactory, a letter la sent to the visitor,
outlining how the particular case should be bandied.
Addresses are often incorrect. Families move fre
quently, and cases have often been found here of an
address given abroad, when the girl sails, is changed
several times before she arrive..
The observation after landing and the care and at
tention given girls in the new world are two of the main
tasks of the council. In the twenty-eight sections 11,660
girls were visited In the last three years. Of this num
ber, 4664 were enrolled in English and trade classes and
clubs ; 1621 girls were assisted in procuring work. ' Proper
boarding and lodging houses were found for 236 girls:
arrangements were made for 4603 to enter -public and .
private classes in English, and for 1339 others to go to
settlement classes and cluba and SOS to trade classes.
Medical aid was secured for 652 and legal aid for 203.
It has been found that 'the Immigrant girls are nat
urally sueplclous of all Americans and strangers; and,
though they may pass neveral times a day the settle
ment houses and other places wfliere they would be wel
comed, they will not enter. For that reason the agents
show them that the soelal and settlement workers ana
the teachers of the night schools want to be their friendr
and personally Introduce them to these various women
These reports show the great amount of work that
is done under Mlns American's guidance, and there is
hardly a case In that list tnat hasn't its interesting side.
Many families that have been separated for years have
been reunited at the immigrant pier by this energetic
woman. It may have taken her days to find the loved
ones, but she never gives up the search.
There is one end of the Immigrant-aid work that MIm
American takes a special interest In. It isn't a pleasant
one, either, for it is the care of the poor insane who
have been ordered deported. Miss . American takes a
klndlv interrat in them and -cables to their relatives on
the other side. Of this branch of the work Miss Amerl-
V -7 r . S7
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TAETT,I0 - rm r;a Vann TtiThv:
xmencag pioneer cop ieminine, nas turnea
in her badge. Not that the job waa too
mucn tor ner, lor this strenuoui young
woman has proved time and again that she was
well able to take careof herself and such evil
doers as she came across in the bargain.
The truth of the matter is that Hiss 33ixby,
after having been.; a volunteer policewoman at
Long Beach and probation officer of the County
juvenile court at Los Angeles for nearly four
TheGMoTlRED of BEI
JOURNAL PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY -14' 1913
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can 'says: "As soon as we are informed by the govern
ment of tfiie date of deportation, we notify the relatives
in this country and those who are Mvlng abroad, and
cable the notices to our European correspondents, who
see that these aliens are safeguarded home.
Many other cases that were Investigated by Miss
American and her agents were interesting. Among them
raa be oiS;i-t ot a i?vear-'tftr Xustflan girl. Who was
coming to thle country to a young man. The girl's father
sent word here to her cdusln, and he reported the case
to Miss American. She, in turn, banded the matter over
to the chief inspector. The girl was given m special hear
ing and turned over to an uncle in Scranton, and the
plans of "the Gentile young 'man." as he was described,
were thwarted.
Mis American has noted the need of Instructing
social workers on the immigration laws, and has devoted
much of her time to it. If it lhad not been for the tact
displayed by her a few years ago, a young woman would
have been deported through the error of a social worker.
This young Immigrant was sent for by her sister, who
did not kriow that she was married. She brought her
husband with flier. The man started to learn a trade, and
the pair had a hard time to make ends meet. To add
to their troubles, the sister lost her position and was
out of work. When the young immigrant was in a deli
cate condition and needed proper nourishment, a well
meaning woman from a nearby settlement house took
the case in hand and advised the woman to go to the
state hospital. The consequence was that she was or
dered deported, a terrible outlook, as the husband was a
deserter. By -thls time the- husband had finished his
trade and the sister had another poHltlon. Between the
pair they were earning $26 a week. MIbj American
appealed to Washington, and the woman wu allowed to
remain on condition of furnishing $1000 bonds. Tttie
woman's board in the hospital was paid by friends and
the mother and babe were allowed to return to their
home In Boston.
Miss American has made a number of investigations
of the immigrant girls to learn their conditions in life.
Following reports a few years ago that white slave traf
fickers were bringing girls into this country for immoral
purt08es. Miss American decided to make a study of ih
subject, and took the names of 2900 Jewish girls who
had been in New York more than fifteen months. In
her report Miss American said:
"We started our investigation with fear and trem
bling. We finished it with jubilation. For a better rec
ord, I believe, was never made for any group of Immi
grants at any time or in any country. The majority of
those who came, came to lmprovo their fortunes Living
conditions were such as might be expected In any tene
ment class; but the Instances of loving self -sacrifice and
friendly helpfulness were such as to make one proud of
belonging to this group of people."
Of the 2900, only two girls were found who were Is
disreputable surroundings. Their cases were turned over
to the government officials, and they were deported. The
government assisted Miss American and her agents and
detective in tracing all of the 2000. It was found that
a number of the girls were earning good wages.
"This investigation." said Miss American, ''should set
at rest the stories of the importation of Jewish girls for
Immoral purposes. But. alas! it will not rtt aside the
fact that there are many Jewish girls In Improper sur
roundings. It proves, however, that they are In such
surroundings eying to forces and conditions "which they
find after their arrival, and that this question is a ques
tion apart from the subject of Immigration as such. Tf
we Americans allow traps to exist into which they fall,
we should at least not place the blame on the Immigrant.
What it calls for on our part is to see to It that the
girls who live In crowded tenements, and who have no
outlet foe- their craving for leisure and fun nnd a good
time generally, should be given an opportunity to enjoy
all these things. Just as the gtrls of other social snheres
are not only given opportunities, but have special pro
visions made for them. All over this broad land we hear
the dance hall mentioned as though a dance hall were In
Itself a place of evil. Dancing Is natural. Is lovous. ts
desirable, and the dance hall Is a place of evil because
we have neglected this pfhaae of our duty and hnve nl-
years, became so interested in poor boyfand girls
that she decided to devote the rest of her life
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lowed the forces for evil to be the only ones to offer
opportunity lor tnat normal pleasure to the girls."
Miss American has planned a numoer of dances and
theater parties for the immigrant girls. Another imer
esclng feature or the investigation was that, of 1X14 cases
ffordlng detailed Information, It was found that only
216 were illiterates, go 147 of them were sent to schools.
Of the 2900 specially Investigated, not one asked for alms
or assistance of any kind. Of all the girls who have been
to them. Bather noble of her, when one takeg
into consideration that sh. i tfi Aanahtar nf a
millionaire, for her father, Jothan'Bixby, is part
owner of the Virginia Hotel and a large real
estate holder.
vrr Fu,rtllermre. Miss Bixby is a graduate of
Wellesley. And that is saying much, for it is
doubtful if many men, after graduating from one
nf our higher colleges, would invite the jests and
jokes of his friends by joining the police force.
HE news of Miss Blxby's retirement will be re.
celved with interest throughout the country.
For that matter, it will excite Just as much at
tention as was the case four years ago, when
the news leaked out that she, of all persons, had
laughed at convention and enlisted as a cop. Her
friends, knowing her views of woman's sphere, per
haps were not so very miyib surprised. But strangers
could not Imagine why the daughter of so wealthy
Z"n n6u,d cno the Joint Jobs of policeman and
probation officer as her vocation In life....'-"
But Miss Bixby let them keep on wondering, until
now well, she has handed In her resignation and that
is all there Is to It. Probably, the mischievous boya
of Long Beach, who ran when they saw the edge of
her skirt turn the corner, are glad, and perhaps, some
older ones are even happier. But those who advocated -law
and order will, no doubt, regret the departure '
from "the pike" of the efficient police officer. For
he made everybody mind their p's and q's when she
was on the Job. . , .
Suffrage. In a word that ts why Miss Bixby went
on the police court force and did probation work. '
And perhaps that la why she left it. She has been a '
strong advocate of suffrage for women in California,
and wanted to prove that her sex was fitted for every
walk of life, even to handling the big stick and look
ing out for wayward children. And now that the '
cause hae $ been won In her state, and she has "done
her duty noble," as she saw It, she has resigned. TUtat -Is
not the exact reason she gave) but those who have ,
studied her work can read between the lines. Miss
Bixby said that her Jack of health wouldn't permit
her to wield the big stick any longer, and that she
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visited in New York since the work startsd, not on aver
sgKea lor aims.
Last spring Miss American Instituted another inves- -tlgatlon
of 200 girls who had been In this country six
months. She found that 40 per cent reported an Increase
In wages since the first visit was made to them; tt per
cent desired English Instruction; 18 per cent were con
tributing to the support of relatives In Europe, and '
per cent already had bank accounts. ;
wanted to devote more of her time to general philan
thropic work for boys and girls. '.Ot.; - .
So th poor ahd wayward ennflren Who VneW what
it was to have her kind Interest and protection naael
not worry about her retirement, for she will no doubt
continue to keep an eye on them, -and will even have
greater opportunities than the past afforded to attend
to their needs. Be that as it may, helping wayward
children has always been a hobby with Miss Bixby.
Every day a stream ot little offenders has passed
through her office In the downtown building of the
beach city where she made her headquartera. . , .. ii
No one else can imagine the great number of
pathetic tales that she heard, for she knew how te ,
keep the secrets of the little offenders. Many young- -sters
whomever saw the brighter side of life knew,
when, they met Miss Bixby, that for the first time la ,
their lives they bad a friend who understood, and
who, moreover, . believed that there la good In the
worst of us. and continued talking until she struck
the good chord in the child's heart and played on It
until she showed him that, no matter how bad he was
or what a "little sinner" he was considered PX tbe
outside world, he had his good side as well. ,
There was very little of the romantioi er plo
turesquc about Miss Blxby's work. And It was a field
that few women who were born with golden spoon
In their mouths would care to take up. For she waa
brought in daily contaot with that phase of life that
most people car not to think about, let alone delve .
Into. She found all kinds of poverty, misery and vice:
but instead of lifting her hands In horror, she pitched
right in to remedy the conditions.
And It is to be a mother to the unfortunate chil
dren, who suffer sometimes as the results of the sine
and mistakes of their parents, that Miss Bixby is
laying aside her badges. , She will continue to be a
familiar figure along the "pike." tihe. is tall and
athletic Her features are atttactlve, but she dressae
very plainly. She prefers a plain dark shlrtwaUt
suit and a white waist to the handsome gowns an.i
' furs that tier means would allow her. Usually she is
accompanied by a boy or girl whose troubles she
Is trying to untangle. Sometimes it Is a newshoir
or a bootblack; but she is seldom without company,
tor she ts always trying to console some one.
When It first became known that Miss Blxhy In
tended to resign, some of those who "knew it au"
probably thought that she had tired of her benvolt
work; that it waa Just a passing fancy, and tat
they would find her at the fashionable affairs,
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bridge and afternoon teas, dances and the opera, i
that they would get a chance to see how sl
looked as a stylish young woman of society. Jtut ;
Bixby, though she may not patrol the iri,
Intends to look as keenly as ever after the li
the poor children of Los Angeles.
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