Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-22
NOT FOR THE FARMS
FRUITvENDING ENTICES GREEKS
FROM AGRICULTURE.

BALTIMORE, March 22.-Mr. William p.
T. Turpin. the state superintendent Of the
Maryland state bureau of immigration. left
his office yesterday more impressed than
ever with the truth Of the old quotation, II
fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts"
or 1t would probably demonstrate his frame
OF mind to use the slang expression that
some one has handed him a lemon"
Seventeen stalwart sons of Greece had ar
rived on the steamer Cassel, all anxious to
secure homes on Maryland farms. Yesterday,
however. their dream Of farm life in Amer
lea had given place to ideas of high finance.
A large number of farmers met the new
arrivals at the state bureau of immigration.
319 North Charles street. each anxious to
get first choice Of the men. Nikolau Dimi-
tri, spokesman for the party. through an in
terpreter, informed Mr.. Turpin that they
would accept no work unless they were
guaranteed 81 a day. The superin tendent
who is a farmer himself. was stunned by
the idea of paying $50 a month for laborers
who neither understood the language nor
method of farming. He expostulated as
best he could with Dimitri, but the Greek
adhered to the proposition that-it was 81 or
nothing for him and his countrymen. Mr.
Turpin and the farmers tried to impress the
men with the idea that it was impossible to
pay such wages.
Mr.. Turpin appealed to Mr.. Stump United
States deputy commissioner of immigration
and through his courtesy Messrs. John j.
Grgurevich and William FEEDER interpreters
of that department. were sent to the state
bureau to explain the situation to the
Greeks.
Dlmltri told the interpreters that they had
gone from Greece to Bremen, where one
or their countrymen gave them a card
bearing the name of Mr.. A. F. Trappe of the
Maryland state bureau of immigration and
suggested that they come to Baltimore,
where they could get work through the bu-
reau. None of the immigrants had seen Mr.
Irappe. Dimitri said that they were all
farmers, and in their country earned 81 to 81
month, with board. He also admitted that
they would have been satisfied to work
Tor W. month had they not Wednesday
night encountered several fruit and candy
vendors, who informed them that they could
readily earn 81 a day.
Mr.. FEEDER, one of the interpreters tried
to dlsabuse their minds of this idea, and
apparently succeeded. The farmers who
had been at the office for several hours be-
came discouraged and left before the inter-
prefer announced that the immigrants said
they would accept $14 a month.
After consultation with the remaining
sixteen, Dimitri said he would speak for his
countrymen and that they would be willing
to go to work Monday.
Another Refusal
Superintendent Turpin was delighted with
this announcement and at once made ar
rangements to secure accommodations for
the Greeks at Locust Point, where they
were to remain until Monday
Apparently delighted that the question
had been adjusted. the immigrants left the
office with one of the clerks Of the state
bureau of immigration, who was to pilot
n cnSf
in spite of his efforts to get the men to go
to Locust Point, they marched in a body
to nearby hotel, where they had spent
the night Wednesday, and refused to leave
the place.
When the superintendent learned of this
move he appealed to the United States i'm
migration bureau and was told that that
office had nothing to do with the matter
as the immigrants had been landed accord
ing to law and had been turned over to the
custody of the state bureau. which would
be held responsible for any of the immi-
grants should they become public cha rpes
within a year.
While all this was going the superin-
tendents secretary was kept busy answer
ing phone calls and signing for kilograms
which were pouring into the office from all
parts of the state asking that one or more
of the immigrants be reserved.
Mr.. Turpin Disappointed.
Under the circumstances it is reg rded
as improbable that any OF the Greeks Will
engage in farm labor, but it is expected
that they will seek employment on rail-
roads or in factories. Mr.. Turpn feels
that he has been imposed upon by the i'm
migrants. who deceived him by having in
their possession the card of Mr.. Trappe.
who is in Europe in quest of farm labor
This led Mr.. Turpin to believe that fhe
men had been sent by Mr.. Trappe, and he
did not learn that they had never seen Mr..
Trappe until after they had been landed at
the request of the bureau The state loses
no money. as each individual paid his own
passage and has cash in addition. In fu-
ture there will be general inveStigat ton
of the character of immigrants received by
the bureau before they are permitted to
land.
Mr. Trappe has written to the supern-
tendent that he expects to sail for home
the latter part of March.