A permant organization was formed consisting of the following officers: President: Lewis Seasongood Cincinnati; Vice-President, Lazarus Silverman, Chicago and Joseph Fox, New York; Treasurer Jacob H. Schiff New York, Secretaries Hon. A.S.Solomons, Washington D. C. and Bernard Harris, Philadelphia.

The expediency and judiciousness of forming a new society elicited considerable discussion and finally it was resolved to start a society and a committee was appointed to submit a draft of laws and on their report the following laws were adopted:

LAWS OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION.

PREAMBLE.

The representatives of the Jewish organizations of the United States do establish a General Committee for Ameliorating the Condition of Russian Refugees, to take exclusive charge, in cöoperation with existing organizations and local committees to be formed throughout the several sections of the Union for the reception, aid, distribution and placing of Jewish refugees from Russia arriving in the United States.

I.

This organization shall be known as the American Committee for Ameliorating the Condition of Russian Refugees.

II.

I. This Committee shall be constituted as follows:

First, The Presidents of the general Jewish organizations represented at the Conference of Sept. 22d, 1891, and of the delegates present at such Conference.

Secondly, Those who signed the call for such Conference.

Thirdly, The Chairman of the Local Committees created under the Third Article hereof, and

Fourthly, Such additional persons as shall be elected by such Committee from time to time.

2. The General Committee shall have power to establish laws for their government and for the proper execution of the purposes herein designated.

III.

Local Committees shall be organized in every city and town in the United States, where there exists a Jewish congregation, benevolent society, lodge belonging to a Jewish Order or other Jewish organization, or wherever Jews reside, and shall be constituted as follows:

First, A representative of such organization herein mentioned existing in such city or town and the rabbi of each congregation therein.

Second, Such additional persons as shall be elected by such Committee from time to time.

IV.

The General Committee shall designate an Executive Committee of twenty-five members, whose seat shall be in the city of New York, which shall be authorized to appoint a Secretary and necessary agents and to which shall be entrusted the specific direction of the objects herein contemplated, and which will communicate with the Local Committees.

The objects of the organization shall be to secure the sympathy cooperation and assistance of all citizens irrespective of creed, for the purpose of

First, Securing employment and homes for Jewish refugees from Russia, and preferably in places not largely populated.

Second, Provision for their instruction in the English language and in agricultural and mechanical industries in places where arrangements shall not be otherwise made for the purpose.

Third, Cooperation with existing Jewish organizations in carrying out these objects.

Fourth, Cooperation with existing Jewish organizations at or near the seaboard in the transportation and distribution of the refugees.

The Executive Committee shall at once proceed to adopt plans for the organization of the Local Committees of societies to carry out the objects for which the Local Committees have been formed. Such plans shall provide for the annual contributions to be paid by members and for the disposition of the funds so received.

The Executive Committee recommended, consisted of twentyfive persons, as follows:

Henry Rice, Julius Bien, Jacob H. Schiff, Morris Tuska, Ferd. Levy, Isaac Hamburger, Max Warley Platzek, New York; Simon Muhr, Louis E. Levy, Philadelphia; Dr. A. Friedenwald, Baltimore; Jacob Hecht, Boston; Julius Freiberg, Louis Seasongood, Cincinnati; Adolph Loeb, Julius Rosenthal, Chicago; Samuel Woolner, Peoria, Ill.; Simon Wolf, Washington; Bernard Gross, Milwaukee, Wis.; Marcus Bernheimer, St. Louis: David S. Cohen, Portland, Ore.; Marcus Putzel, Detroit; Emanuel Cohen, Minneapolis, Minn.;

Aaron Haas, Atlanta, Ga.; Leo N. Levi, Galveston; Elias Lowen. stein, Memphis, Tenn.

After the final adoption of the report and the appointing of the Executive Committee, a general discussion was held by the gentlemen present for the purpose of bringing out suggestions and giving an idea of the various ways in which the refugees could be helped. Mr. Freiberg asked about the method pursued in teaching trades. He stated that he had in his employ a number of refugees whom he had taken to Cincinnati in 1881, and who were perfect mechanics in their various occupations, and who were gentlemen in highest sense of the term. Some of them had laid aside considerable money and purchased property for themselves, and all, without exception, were doing very well.

Mr. L. E. Levy, of Philadelphia, gave the experience which he had with a number of Russians whom he had taken into his employ and taught the full details of the photo-engraving business; some of them are earning after a few years as much as $25 a week, while when they came to him they did not know a camera from a mile post. Mr. Levy also spoke of a trip he had taken through Pennsylvania among the refugees who had been placed by the Philadelphia Societies, and told how they were working in cotton and woolen mills, and the complete satisfaction they gave, which was amply proved by the fact that he was asked to send other families to the same places. He found that when one or two were placed in a factory in a town from the city, gradually other Russians, relatives or friends were attracted to the same place, and formed a nucleus for still larger migration from the city.

In reply to Mr. Freiberg, Mr. Henry Rice gave some figures from an interesting report of the United Hebrew Charities on the number of situations found within the past six months, which ran up to 5,594, at an expense of $4.484. Within five years, out of the thousand which the United Hebrew Charities had placed in employment, they had reeeived complaints of but two employees, and they were not Russians. They had placed from 1,200 to 1,400 in the New England States alone. The cost of tools which they had furnished to mechanics was $3,590, which proved amply that there were mechanics among them. They had spent 6,487 in returning persons to Russia, which did not, however, represent the entire cost of transportation, as only such persons were returned who found it impossible to earn a livelihood here, and who could contribute towards their return passage.

It is to be hoped that a thorough and effective co-operation of the various Jewish Committees and organizations, well systematized will succeed in distributing the stranger throughout our vast countrys relieve the congested condition in the large cities, which will be the best means of rapidly Americanizing the emigrants.

Mr. Woolner expressed surprise again at what he heard. He said that ninety-five out of a hundred out West did not know about the condition of affairs in New York and are ignorant of the fact that any of these men are mechanics or can be made such. He thought that it was very advisable that every effort should be made to spread broadcast such information concerning these people, as it would do a great deal to bring about a better understanding of

matters.

Mr. Jesse Seligman was accorded the floor and spoke of the great pleasure he felt at the presence of so many representatives. He said that they had long desired to enlist the aid of the outside communities, and he was glad to see that they were ready to work hand in hand with their brethren. The government of the United States was doing all that it could for them. He had, he said, given this matter a good deal of personal attention. These exiles came here poor and friendless, but that was no more than many of the gentlemen he saw about him did many years ago, and who now by prudence and honest dealing were in a condition to help their exiled brothers and infuse into them courage and hope. He knew these men would all do well and become useful and honored citizens if put in the way to help themselves.

Mr. Louis Abraham, of Washington, suggested three means for placing some of these refugees in homes in the cities, basing his statement on the experience which he had had in Washington. In 1881 he took a number of families with him and with the assistance of friends in Washington, purchased cows for a few of them and started milk routes. These people were still in business to-day, owned property and even speculated in real estate. Floriculture he suggested also, as the sale of plants and flowers is a profitable one in all towns and cities. Another industry was silk-raising, which he said required an outlay of but $5, though he mentioned nothing of the money necessary for the people to exist on before they could realize on their products.

Dr. Julius Goldman, Secretary of the Baron de Hirsch Fund wished to remove any wrong impression that the gentleman present might have concerning the refugees. He wished them to under

stand affairs as they were. Of the 56,000 who had arrived here during the past year, over 30.000 had come within the last few months, and of the 5,600 who had been placed at trades all were not perfect mechanics, but only partially such. He did not wish to throw any cold water upon the enthusiasm that existed, but he did not want a wrong impression to go forth. The fact was that the people in New York had done all they could and the Baron de Hirsch Fund and the United Hebrew Charities were positively swamped, and were therefore very glad these gentlemen had come together to aid them. What was wanted was to get these people work, and the Baron de Hirsch Fund had been forced to abandon their educational work in consequence.

The convention adjourned at six of committees to visit the Hebrew Street and the Barge Office.

o'clock, after the appointment Sheltering Home on Madison

immediately after adjournment

The Executive Committee met and elected the following officers: Jacob H. Schiff, Chairman; Julius Freiberg and M. W. Platzek, Vice-Chairman; A. S. Solomons Secretary, and M. W. Platzek, Committee on Laws.

AID FROM THE PUBLIC AT LARGE.

The American people do not restrict their charity to sect, their humane and kindly disposition takes in all who are the victims of misfortune and their sympathy goes out to the oppressed of all countries, regardless of creed. Many contributions have been quietly raised by Americans, nor Jews towards the relief of the unfortunate victims of fanaticism and Judge Dillon who wrote the following letter to Mr. Jesse Seligman, probably expresses the sentiments actuating the largest portion of the American people. He writes;

DEAR SIR: Coming to this place (Saratoga) on the train from New York to-day, I saw in The Evening Post a statement that prominent Hebrews in all parts of the United States have been invited by the Trustees of the Baron de Hirsch fund to meet in this city on Wednesday, September 23, in the building of the Hebrew Educational Alliance, at East Broadway and Jefferson Street, for the purpose of co-operating in the formation of an American relief committee to make the best possible disposition of the exiled Russian Jews coming to this country.

The persecutions of your people with medieval cruelty, whereby they are exiled without cause, suddenly and en masse with all the multiplied and nameless hardships and sufferings which must necessarily attend such an