The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-20
Drastic Proposals of Royal Com
mission to Gust Foreigners
Who Introduce New Trades.
NEW PROBLEMS OF POVERTY.
Struggle Is on Between Native
WOrkmen and Pauper Peas
ant, Driven to England by
Overtaxation on Con
tinent..

London, Sept. 1s.-By its drastic recon-
mendations the report of the British Royal
| Commission on alien immigration should
| do much to further the highest interests
of the British worker and of the British
| nation. especially if prompt action is taken
by the Government to carry out those
recommendations.
Every allegation that has been made
against the character of the alien invasion
is fully justified by this report. 1t is
proved by evidence that in the past this
country has become the dumping ground
| for the human waste product of other ma
tions. The pauper. the criminal, the lu-
natic have been shot up British shores, TO
compete with the British worker for his
wages or to draw upon the British rate
payer for support, with the natural result
that grievous economic burden has been
imposed upon England.
1t is true that the commission does not
appear to have attached much Importance
to the industrial competition of the alien,
and that claims are put forward, ana even
admitted, to the effect that these foreign
ers have introduced new trades. But II is
difficult to think that. those who reached
such a conclusion have studied the work
in which the industrial effect of this COM
petition of workers with a low standard
of living is closely analyzed by one OF the
ablest and most impartial of modern eco
nomiSts
1T is not merely the struggle of too
many workers COMPLETING on equal terms
for an insufficient quantity OF work, says
Mr.. Hobson. a celebrated authority. That
is terrible enough. But when the struggle
is between those accustomed to a higher
and those accustomed TO lower standard
of living. the latter can obviously oust the
former and take their work. Where work
iS md
addition of Iow-living foreigners will
cause perceptibIe fall in the entire wages
of the neighborhood -
''have not stimulated or supplied new
wants. The foreign Jews are engaged IN
producing articles OF commerce which but
native workers under better industrial
conditions"
DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION.
II the proposals of the commission are
carried out while no impediment will be
placed in the way of the immigration of
men with means or good standard of liv-
ing, the influx of undesirabies from East
ern Europe viii. be kept under close con-
troll and careful supervision. a Depart
ment of Immigration will be charged with
the supervision of the immigrants, and
where the alien is of bad character or IN
bad health he can be prevented from land
ing and be sent back to his own country
at the charge of the shipping company
which has dumped him. This VIII tend to
make the shipping companies very careful
whom they take. ana VIII nave an auto
a vigilant department. 1t is to be hoped
that the head of the new Immigration De-
partmeut when 1t Is established, VIII be
some one In sympathy for and in c.ose
touch with British labor. A hostile per-
manent official might render the recon-
mendations nugatory.
But that is rot all. A provision is recon-
mended which has been repeatedly aoyo-
Gated in the Daily Mail, TO the effect that
any alien who is proved TO be living IN
crime OF on crime, or Who oscones
visible means ofSupport. within two years
of his arrival. shall be liable TO expulsion
at the cost of the shipping company which
brought him over. Those chargeaoe on
the community for Ill heaith are eNceptsau, gu
though this is not altogether Iair 10 the
raterayers or to the community.
TO CHECK OvERCRoWDING.
serio,,s attempt is to be made to Crap
pie with the problem of overcrowding.
caused by the influx of these aliens. If an
area Is already congested. power is to be
given TO prohibit altogether the entrance
of more aliens into that area the eHect
of the foreign immigrant upon housins Is
so well known that there is little need TO
empbasize IL In the words of one OF Mr.
C. Booths witnesses. Foreigners VIII pay
ANYTHING TO get In Ito houseS), ana Dau
folk are crowding the good out The
house famine in East London is uue IN
peonle dare moi leave their houses be-
cause there is no room elsewhere. ana
thev cannot nav the same rent as the for
eipner. becaifse they vii not accept his
conditions of dirt and oyercrowdfng
This provision. If properly carried out,