GIRL EMIGRANTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2238, 26 August 1914, Page 7

GIRL EMIGRANTS

A GREAT WORK

1 Y.W.C; A. ACTIVITIES REVIEW ED )' r The fifth International Conference of j, tho World's Young Women's Christian t Association, just concluded at Stock- - iliolni, was representative of twenty-live I different countries, and numbered over . 800 delegates; tho programme dealt t with the problems facing the associas tion in connection with work for wos men and girls in nearly every part of 3 the world.- ' _ Tno elastic organisation of tho Young , Women s Christian Association, writes Liban E. Jenkyn-Brown, M.A., in tho . London Daily News and Leader," ren- . dors it peculiarly fitted to give tho prcl- CI J? help needed in , various countries t which differ widely both in geographi- ! cal position and in national outlook; . each .nation has its own contribution to ! give, but the needs which tho associa--3 tion seoks to meet are world-wide, and . break down all barriers of race and lauf guage The problem of emigration and immi- ; gration was brought beforo tho confer- - once with great force by speakers who - had practical experience of the enor--1 mous difficulties of coping .with tho f over-increasing numbers of immigrants t to the United States, Canada, and Aus--1 tralia. In all cases it was clearly felt - that there was a wide and very neces- • sary field for association enterprise, working in connection with tho Travel--1 lers Aid Society and similar protective • agencies for girls and also with tho great steamship companies. The tide • of emigration cannot bo checked, but • it must be, as far as possible, rightly 1 directed; and in order to accomplish > this the would-be emigrant must bo carefully guided and instructed before leaving the -home-country, as well as kindly received and cared for until sne lias found her foet in the adopted country ; and on the journey her needs must . be niet, and she must be safeguarded [ against dangers. The double aspect of r the question—the preparation of tho ■ emigrant and her reception—was ; strongly insisted upon. , From the Old Home. ; Under the head of preparation, the • first need was more completo and accu- ' rate information, such as would dis-' courage indiscriminate emigration, ; while enabling tho suitable emigrant to equip herself for the new life. The United i States, Canada, and Australia joined in assuring the conference that I in these countries "capacity has opportunity," but that it is only courting l disappointment to send out those who will inevitably fall through inherent unsuitability, and for whom a new country has no more use than an older one. It was suggested that the association, by means of international correspondence,, should bo in a position to supply accurate and reliable information. as to ■ tho conditions and openings in any country; and,-if necessary,--to' watch the agencies in the European cities and ports, and check tho often too-glowing prospects held out by them to ignorant inquirers. A girl's ignorance and in— . nooence is often her bane, and till© finds herself unexpectedly, face to faco with dangers and dillicultics which a little more worldly wisdom would havo onab! d her to- avoid, or more knowledge would atieast have taught her to foresee Here, then, a Christian Association can hold out a helping hand., Another cryiiig neecl is for study of tho emigration and immigration laws of tho different countries—such as the requirement in the United States that an immigrant must not only possess a certain amount of money, but also a name and address to which to go to on arrival,and for such practical knowledge as tho address of the nearest Consulate of the girl's own nationality in the district to which she is going. Difficulty is also liaMo to arise as to the medical examination, and as far as possible it should be ascertained that the requirements are approximately the same at the pori of departure and of a~riva! The dangers from "bogus" advertisements, and from the light-hearted way in which a careless girl .trusts to the,-be-lief that "something will turn up," are only too well known; tho difficulties which often beset girls on the actual journey, unless they are travelling in, a protected party," or . with suitable oscort, are perhaps less widely realised. The association, in co-operation ,' with other, societies,. and with the' help of steamship companies, is seeking to bring about the appointment of a matron, or some suitable woman, on the larger omigrant ships, to whom any girl may apply for friendship and advice in ahy situation of difficulty in which sho may find herself. To the New. Tho reception of tho new-comers presents a problem of immense magnitude, most of all .in a country like the United States, where the immigrants come from the Near- and Ear East, from Russia, Italy, and such out-of-the-way parts of Europe as Calicia; and arrive without knowledge, of. any language but their own. . > • , The American delegates told the Conference; emphatically that they regarded tho task before their country as the one of welding thoso hete"rogeneous elements into part of their, adopted nation, with a right to share ill the blessings of tho country to which they had come, in its freedom and opportunities of self-development; the immigrant was to be regarded not as an economic unit, but a possible citizen. The. first thing the association! had to do for a girl, often, is to teach her English, so that may not remain helpless and isolated, a mere member of a "foreign colony," but be able to take an intelligent and helpful part in the life around her. Tho homes and hostels of the Young Women's Christian Association in nearly all parts of the world—notably iu the United States and Canada, South Africa, Australia, and India, as well as Great Britain, are invaluable as a safe temporary haven for tho traveller; tiie association aims at providing for tho girl's needs at the point of departure, safeguarding her during transit, and welcoming her on arrival. Emigration was not tho only problem beforo tho Conference. From the Ear East—lndia, China, and Japan—urgent calls come for secretaries—trained and eapoblo Christian women—to interpret Christianity in terms of social conscious- " ness to those whoso horizon has been ! suddenly and enormously enlarged; to whom, apart from «>mo such guidanco, "new ideas may como without now 1 ideals"; while in countries nearer hqme women are almost equally needed i understanding the changed social and economic conditions to-day, will help ' ycung women to face, in a Christian , spirit, the ever-increasing opportunities for taking their share in national re-- 1 sponsibilitios. Tho AVorld's Young Somen's Chris- < tian Association rcalisos that increased opportunity means increased icspons- B ibility; but, as one speaker said, oppor- . tunity and difficulty constitute a dialkngo to go forward and conquer in c tho spirit of love, expressing itself in uusellish servico for the womanhood of tho world.