New-York tribune., 1906-07-10
HUNGARIAN IMMIGRATION.

few months ago the Hungarian Royal Com
missioner of Emigration took pains. with much
frankness and wealth of detail TO deny some
| imputations that the Hungarian government
was promoting and melting emigration to the
| United States and was particularly shipping
criminals incapables and other undesirable
classes hither. He strongly emphasized the
statement that, Hungary being thinly popu-
lated country, the Budapest government desired
to keep its subjects at home rather than to see
them go abroad, that it had proceeded as far as
was possible in a free country with legislation in
restraint of emigration, and that it did positively
prohibit the emigration of criminals, paupers
minors and others who might become a burden
or be detriment to the land of their adoption.
We had, Of course, no inclination to doubt the
sincerity or the accuracy of Baron de Levay's
statement concerning the intentions and desires
OF the Hungarian government, and his summary
Of the Hungarian emigration law was suSceD-
tible Of verifcation from the record. Seeing
however, that since the enactment Of that law
in 1908, Hungarian immigration to America has
been steadily increasing, until now it is more
numerous than that from any other country, we
must suppose the authors Of that law to be
profoundly disappointed with their handiwOrk,
since its effect appears to be just the contrary
Of that which was intended. Or, If the law is
not actually facilitating emigration, at any rate
emigration Is increasing in spite Of It. That
must be decidedly unsatisfactory to the Kings
government and we should think steps would be
taken pretty promptly TO amend the law so as
TO make il effective for the restraint OF emf
grafton.
A feature OF the case which is OF special in
terest TO the United States is that considerable
number Of these Hungarian immigrants seem
dsinclined to become citizens or to become in
any way permanently identified with this coun-
try. They retain their allegiance 20 the King
they send back their savings to the old country,
aud after a time they themselves return thither
precisely as the Chinese have so often been
denounced for doing In connection with that
circumstance IL is pertinent to recall that Baron
de Levay, in the utterance which we have cited,
declared that the Hungarian government had
officially provided means for the safe trans
mission home OF emigrants' remittances OF saw
ings ard for the repatriation Of those who
needed to return home II to this we add the
official statement -ecently attributed TO Dr.
Wekerie. TIE Hungarian Prime Minister, that
the efforts OF the Hungarian government to in
Guee its emigrants TO America TO retain their
Hungarian citizenship are meeting with much
success, we may perhaps arrive at an eXplana-
ton OF the phenomena we have remarked upOn
Ia that case the circumstances must be re-
garded as decidedly unsatisfactory and as en-
phaszIng The need of a stringent recasting Of
have myriads of aliens lockng hither with no
thought Of becoming Americanized, but meaning
to remain aliens, TO get all the American money
they can and then to return 70 their old homes
The United States Of America should not permit