The Washington herald., 1908-06-14
Falling Off in immigration
from Southern Europe.
RARELY TAKES FAMILY ALONG
ItaIiRn EmiErant Leaves Wife at
Home, Planning Some Day 10 Re-
May Have Universal Military Serv-
ice-POwers Oppose the Plan.

diminished attraction Of America for, the
Italian peasant AS compared with the
previous year no fewer than 96.034 Ital-
ians crossed the Atlantic In 1907. and
from Sicily alone there was falling of
OF nearly $4,000 emigrants for America.
On the other hand. Italian emigration to
the Mediterranean basin and 10 European
countries shows a very small increase.
amounting to l2,732 These figures are
satisfactory because, as DR.. Luigi Villari
has shown in his valuable reports on emil
grafton, the lot OF the Italian workman
or peasant in the United States is not TO
be enyied. while the drain OF adult labor
from Calabria and the Basilicata has be-
come very serious problem which per-
plexes statesmen and economists. The
south still contributes the highest pro-
portion Of emigrants in proportion to
population, while rich and prosperous
Lombardy and Lguria lose the fewest
able-bodied men. as was only to be ex-
pected. The Italian emigrant rarely takes
his wife and family with him. hence the
lack Of tillers OF the soil in the southern
provinces. On the other hand he usually
RENTS money home in relatively large
national benefit, as we saw at the time
OF the Calabrian earthquakes; they may
also be n local evil, because the women
of the family are thereby enabled to set
up as money-lenders at exorbitant inter-
est. For this and other reasons. some
high authorities, such as Prof. Pasquale
Villari. regard emigration as a doubtful
advantage TO their country. These latest
figures should therefore comfort them.
The South Africa mail brings a report
10 Berlin of a meeting OF the govern
ment council held at Klndhoek 70 dis
cuss a government bill providing for the
introduction Of universal military service
into the colony.
Lieut. Col. Won Estorff. commander OF
the imperial protective forces who sup
ported the measure, contended that the
future Of the protectorate depended on
its acceptance. The question OF forming
volunteer corps as In English colonies
had, he said. been carefully considered.
but. owing to the fact that such forma-
t!ons had everywhere proved unreliable,
the idea had been abandoned A volun-
teer system, he added, would be ideal. but
seeing that men We're not ideal, realities
must be reckoned with
The governor also spoke in favor OF
the bill
"A well-known farmer. Herr Schiett-
mann. declared that the effect Of such
law would be very trenchant It would
mean honor for the population, he con-
tinued. 10 defend with their lives what
they had acquired IN Southwest Africa,
but as they lived in a free colony the
regulations must be freer. and there
were serious objections to be raised
against the introduction Of a system OF
assembling the men liable to military
service for inspection purposes. 1t would
also be mistake 70 keep men under
arms longer than was usual at home.
Lieut.. Col. Won Estorff replied that Il
was not intended TO institute such in
spections, but to inaugurate periodically
a species of Waffenschau. which would
be attended by the whole population OF a
district
DR.. Kulz. who is in the colony with
the object Of ascertainlng whether II Is
possible to establish self-government. op-
posed the inauguration Of Waffenschau.
which, he said. were an unattainable
ideal On the contrary. he added, they
would prove 90 be a constant source Of
MILE
tary value. lie also objected 20 the pro-
posed plan OF allowing reservists 10 re-
tain arms In times of peace. Every re-
liable man in the colony already DOS
sessed rifle, but II arms were given TO
every man, including those who were
unreliable. many would be tempted TO
use ammunition for wrongful purposes.
The system Of inspection must be less
rigorous than at home, where orderly
conditions prevailed. and every object
would be served If each person reported
in writing his arrival and departure from
each place.
The governor finally stated that a re-
duction OF the time allotted TO the drill
ins and training Of men was not possible
owinI TO the extreme Importance Of such
exer Uses for fresh arrivals in the colony.
I = population would not feel that drill
II and training were burden 20 them.
as the governor would be empowered 70
issue dispensations.
For some time past the Earl OF NIinto
has been somewhat severely censured in
Simla, but especially by the Calcutta
community and an important section OF
the English press, for his apparent
apathy In regard TO recent events. espe-
cially the anarchist conspiracy, the bomb
outrages, and the publication OF openly
seditious matter I'm certain Indian papers.
The seni-oflclal information is now
vouchsafed that the yiceroy has been
extremely occupied with these serious
events, and II is understood that he Is
now forwarding 10 Viscount Morley for
MS sanction a stringent explosives bill.
largely framed on the English act.
which 1t Is hoped, will deal effectively
with further offenses The Earl OF
Minto is also deeply engaged in consid-
ering the best manner OF fOrciblv dealing
with the control Of the press
Ihere Is pronounced feeling here
that the serious character OF the crisis
IN india IS imperfectlv understood in
England, and the opinion Is openly ex-
pressed In the highest quarters that Il
is essential that the viceroy should he
given a free hand TO introduce anv
necessary measures LordN Mlnto un-
doubtedly possesses the fullest support of
the country in this respect. and weak
measures would be universally con-
demned.
Among the subjects discussed at the
recent Inter-Slavonic Conference at
Prague, were the arrangements for the
~ NANOlAi4"6 P4ClllulhdIy congress IN that
city, the plans for the Slavonic ExhibI-
tion in 1911 on the occasion OF the flftieth
anniversary OF the emancipation of the
serfs, and questions relating 10 a Slav-
onic bank and a Slavonic telegraph
agency. Russian journalists were invited
70 attend the congress OF Slavonic jour-
nalists at Laibach in September.
Vaccinntcd on the Cheeks,
London. June 13.-It was stated at yes
terday's meeting OF the st. Georges (Han-
over Squared Guardian that nurse IN