Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
ALARMED OVEREXODUS
Italy and Greece Would Check
Heavy immigration
TO UNCLE SANS DOMAIN
Charged to the Increased Cost Of
Living.
EMIGRATION AGENTS BLAMED
Grecian Government to Try Legal
Means to Limit It in Some Re-
spects-Agitation.
AGENTS BLAMED

Special Cablegram to The Star.
ROME, June 29-If certain predictions
come true, and it really looks as II the
facts proved that they would, a time will
surely come when only millionaires will be
able to live in Rome. For some years
past the prices of 80 many things have
gone up when compared with what they
were formerly or what one imagines they
should be, that they have, in fact, attained
fabulous heights. 1t is all very we'll for the
traveller or the visitor to get sort OF
chill at times at the sight OF his hotel bill,
but what about the permanent resident who
has to pay many another bill besides that
of a hotel bill? Prophets have arisen on
every hand to show that a time will come
when the permanent inhabitants of the city
will be obliged to live on one meal day,
and that meal of the character of bread and
water.
The fact that the price of bread is being
raised by one-fourth of its former value is
causing people to inquire what is the trou-
ble and now it has been found that not
only bread but meat, vegetables, milk
butter, coffee tea, chocolate and in fact
food stuffs Of every description have risen
considerably within the last year.. Comes
tbleS of every kind have increased In price
from 20 to 30 per cent, and it Is claimed
here that living has risen at such rate
that even travellers hesitate to come to
Rome.
It is argued by the Italian students Of
social science that the increase in the ne
cessities of life is the chief cause Of the
unprecedented emigration of Italians to the
United StateS-an emigration so large and
increasing at such a rate that the 1tallan
government itself has become alarmed.
King Favors Drastic Action.
It is said that the king is in favor Of
the appointment of commission to take
drastic action and try to prevent the peo-
pie from leaving the shores of 1caly at the
rate, not of tens, but Of hundreds Of thou
sands per year, but some Of his ministers
argue that this is necessary and that 1t
really affords sort OF an economic sa1e-
ty valve.
However, it appears quite certain that
next winter the most strenuous legisla-
ton will be adopted to prevent the oper-
atoms of the emigration agents in Italy.
1t is held by some Of the officials that they
are really to blame for the Italians sail
ing to New York in droves and that In the
main their business is not only misleading
but absolutely dishonest,
According to all accounts the situation
is equally bad if not worse in Greece.
There the emigration evil is said to be as
Stunning serious proportions. The Grecian
government has recognized the disastrous
result of the exodus which is taking place.
and as first step is already bringing in
a law which tends to limit it In some re-
spects All citizens who have not served
in the army or navy are debarred from
leaving the country. When it Is borne in
mind that the total population of Greece
scarcely exceeds 100000 the effect Of an
annual loss of the more enterprising of the
peasantry, running up into the tens of thou
sans annually, can readily be understood.
Worried Oven Annual Defamation.
According to the British consul for the
Morea, this emigration question is agitat-
ing the people and the government of
Greece more than any other. Although 1t Is
in this connection that more than
s., 600 GOO is annually RENTED by Greeks
in America to their relatives, either in the
form of cash or in prepaid steamer and rail-
way tickets, the loss to the country OF so
many tillers of the soil is one that will
worry the thoughtful.
The cost of labor has risen from 25 to
IS per cent, and in many cases local labor
cannot be obtained at ALL And where it is
secured it is supplied by the women and the
gangs of Albanians and others who cross
the frontier during the spring months, Gull
tivate the vineyards, and then return to
their homes with their savings.
One of the Grecian weekly papers in COM
menting upon the guiding of the Panama
canal says that it is significant that the
United States is constructing that big
ditch" with Grecians and Italians the rep
resentatives of two of the Oldest and the
proudeSt nations on earth.