The Washington herald., 1907-09-20
WORKFOR HOME FOLK
Americans as Well as Aliens
Deserving of Help.
CHIEF POwDERLY HAS AN IDEA
Relieves His Division Of the Bureau
OF immigration Can DE Made Use
fuI i'm Assisting Citizens as Well
as Foreigners to Find Employ
ment-Fate of the Molly MnGuIres.

ment-Fate of the Molly MnsuIres.
we started out 70 divert immigration.
as an incident Of our labors it was de
cided that wherever possible we should
find employment for incoming aliens.
why should we not also get work for
citizens of the United States?
This thought occurred to me when !
received a communication from "A firm in
the West the other day, asking me to
supply it with five plumbers. The firm
wrote that II needed plumbers badly, and
had found II impossible TO get them 1
believe that the government could do a
great service in the labor field by as
sisting some home folk as well as arriv-
ing aliens to get work
These statements were made yesterday
by Terence V. Powderly, chief of the di-
vision of information in the Bureau Of
Immigration, during the course of a dis
cussion Of the work OF tLs division Of
information, which was established by
Congress with Il view to divertlng to the
agricultural sections of the country-no-
tably the South-a part Of the constantly
growing stream of aliens now pouring
into the large cities Of the East and Mid
die West.
Make IL "a Home Bureau.
Continuing, Mr. Powderly said:
Under present industrial conditions
men who reach the age of thlrty-five or
+ -.
lines Of business. There are good many
Of this class in the United States. They
are anxious 20 work. and if they could
find out from authorized sources just
where it could be obtained. the number
OF idlers would be materially diminished.
Why should not the information which
we are collecting for aliens be placed in
the hands OF our own citizens. and for
the same purposesg'
MI Powderly then took up the subject
of the desirabiity as immigrants Of Ger
tain nationalities Speaking Of the ltal-
ians. he said:
The Black Hand Society now Oper-
ating in New York and elsewhere will
soon run its course. and its leaders be
brought to the bar of justice. In the
meantime we should not be harsh in our
criticisms Of the Italians as o race. Most
/ Of them are sober, law-abiding, indus
/ trious people. There is no more danger
TO the country in Italian immigration
than there was IN the immigration Of
certain other races a comparatively few
years ago.
Fate of the Molly Maguires,
Years ago" continued Mr.. Powderly
I
sylvania were terrorized by society
known as the Molly Maguires. I was
born Of Irish parents in the region OF
that State where the Molly Maguires We're
active. The members OF this society were
a bad lot but it would be unjust 10 say
that they were typical OF the average In
the Irish race,
'The Molly Mcguire Society was i'm
ported from the Emerald Isle. On its
native sod 10 worked for freedom, and
was a decent patriotic organization. As
known in this country. it was nothing
more or less than an organization OF
marauding cut-throats. II was crushed
10 earth in Pennsylvania when its lead
ers were hanged.
"The Black Hand Society will meet the
fate that befeIl the Molly Naguires. Last
summer I spent some time in Italy, and
took occasion TO inquire into the origin Of
the Black Hand found that on its
native heath the Black Hand was or
ganized for good. in fact. for the protec-
ton Of women and young girls An
italian who wrongs a woman and fails
10 right the wrong is practically driven
from among his fellows. The black hand
of ostracism is raised against him. The
Black Hand in this country, as in the
case OF the Molly Maguires. brought into
being for noble purposes across the sea.
was prostituted and converted 90 ignoble
/ purposes when transplanted in the United
/ States. But IL will soon pass into history
as did the Molly Maguires."
Discussing the efforts now making 10
properly distribute aliens arriving in this
country. Mr.. Powderly expressed the be-
lief that little difficulty would be found
In placing immigrants where they We're
urgently needed.
Sent Where They Are Wanted.
NO organized effort has ever been
made before" said Mr.. Powderly, "to at
tract immigrants to sections that need
them. They have been dumped at the
big seaports, and a large percentage Of
them have remained there. This is nota-
bly, so in the case Of New York. Through
the Division Of Information Of the BU-
reaU Of immigration the Federal govern
ment is cooperating with the States and
large employers OF labor 10 induce aliens
to go TO all sections Of the country that
are in need Of settlers. 1t will be our
aim to find out the nationalities preferred
in certain communities. and not send to
such communities those races against
which there may exist a prejudice
II Chief Powderly executes as he has
planned. Uncle Sam will soon be running
the biggest intelligence office on earth.
All forms Of labor, from household SER
wants to skilled artisans, will be supplied
on short notice Mr.. Powderly did not
say so directly, but he intimated that the
Division of Information will solve the
servant-girl problem in the United States