New-York tribune., 1907-05-05
An IMPORTANT TASK.
Immigration Commission to 1scer-
tain Conditions IN Europe.
[From The Tribune Bureau. J

IFrom The Tribune bureau
Washington, May 4-The President au-
thorized by the immigration bill passed at the
last session of Congress to enter into agreements
with foreign nations for the purpose of prevent
ing immigration into the United States of aliens
who not entitled under the restrictions i'm
posed by the laws of this country, to enter our
ports. Congress also provided for the creation
Of an immigration commission with authority
TO visit foreign countries, there to ascertain the
conditions affecting emigration. The scope of
the inquiry which this commission has under
taken is exceedingly broad, but the most i'm
portant responsibility which rests upon it will
be the preparation of a report which will serve
rs a guide to the President in perfectins the
agreements contemplated.
Most foreign countries are willing and ready to
Cooperate with the United States to prevent
bringing to the ports of this country immigrants
%ho ineligible to entry and who are liable
p he returned at once or subsequently dePorted
a few are believed to be adverse to such
course. But to verify these beliefs and to de-
wise methods whereby they can be enforced with
the greatest convenience to both countries and
the least possible hardship to would-be immi-
grants will be the first work of the immigration
Commission.
The members of the commission, with the ex-
ception of Senator Lodge Professor jerks and
Mr. Nol Will sail for Europe the latter part or
this month"; or earlier If steamship accomwoda-
tions can be secured Senator Lodges move
rneuts are uncertain, although he Will join the
Other members Of the commission abroad If his
domestic affairs will permit Mcssrs. Nein and
jerks viii remain here, and will devote them
selves to the assembling and preparation Of sta
tistics regarding immigration. the disposition Of
immigrants, etc. which it Is desired TO make 4
part Of the final report
Among the questions which Messrs. jerks and
Neiu Will take up VIII be the character OF imni-
grants from various European countries the
degree of success and thrift which attend their
efforts here their distribution. the alleged con-
gesion in the principal cities. the possibility Of
their more general distribution, their avail
ability as agricultural laborers the demand for
labor in the Southern and Far Western states.
etc. As has been demonstrated hy the diversity
Of opinions expressed by various writers on the
subject Of immigration. there exists a wide lati
tudc Of views on the dosirahnty Of immigrants
of the various nationalities. and an effort Will
be made to ascertain the facts in this respect.
and to substantiate them with an amount Of
evidence which must be accepted as induhitabie.
The members OF the commission who will go
abroad viii take with them the secretary and
other ATTACHES and will go directly to Italy.
from which country large number of immi-
grants now come The itinerary, which is
largely tentative and subject TO change as closer
contact With foreign conditions may seem to
warrant includes an inspection Of conditions a
Gcnoa, Naples. Palermo and Mcssina, From
Italy the commission viii 60 to Fiume. in Aus
tria- Hungary, where the government is under
stood practically to have subsidized Il steam
ship line to bring immigrants to this country
Trieste viii also be visited and il is probable
that a visit will be paid 10 Odessa in Southern
Russia, from which point line of steamers to
New York has recently been established. The
commission viii then go north to Riga and
I.bau. from which points the Russian govern
ment is understood TO be promoting emigration
to the United States. Hango. the port from
which emigrants from st. Petersburg embark
viii also be visited and it Is entirely probable