The Washington herald., 1909-06-09
|STRAUS' PROJECT
NAY BE WIPED OUT
One Division in immigration
Bureau Under Ban.
LABOR APPEARS TO HAVE WON
Institution Formerly Termed Gov
ernmentaI Employment Agency 10
Attract Horde OF Aliens, DisprOved
by Commissioners Keefe, Who Says
II Is Doing Work Outside Premises.

The division OF information OF the Bu-
reau Of immigration and Naturalization
is to be wiped out to all intents and pur-
poses II a report submitted to Secretary
! Nagel. Of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor is adopted. Under the direc-
ton Of former Secretary of Commerce
and Labor Straus the division Of informa-
ton started the work Of relieving con-
gested centers OF alien population, BY
finding employment for unskilled laborers
and others on farms and in rural COM
munities
From the first this work aroused the
opposition OF labor leaders and after a
comraign lasting about eighteen months
they seem to have won. The work OF
the division OF information has been the
subject OF bitter debates In labor circles,
and Terence V. Powderly. the head OF
the division, has been accused OF being
the head OF a governmental employment
agency that would attract 10 the United
States vast horde OF immigrants who
would actually create disastrous compe-
tition for labor.
Daniel ]. Keefe. Commissioner General
Of immigration, vino formerly was head
of the Longshoremen's Union, has been
devOting considerable attention 10 the
division OF information. and il is said he
has become convinced that its work as
now going on. is considerably beyond the
intention Of Congress when il framed that
section Of the immigration act under
which the work is proceeding.
At present the division has branches
in several large cities, al which are re-
cruited unskilled alien laborers. In ad-
dition the division for several months
past has circulated over thousands Of
rural routes return postal cards upon
which recipients can set forth the nature
Of labor they desire.
Cared for 5000 Aliens.
Based on returns already received. the
| division. It is said, has taken from the
large cities about 5000 aliens and placed
them In rural communities. The work OF
the division has expanded so, II was be-
lieved by officials directing it. that as
many more alien labo-ers would be given
employment within short time.
After reading the law Commissioner
General Keefe, it is asserted. has reached
the conclusion that the work now being
done is outside OF the divisions prem
ises, and has recommended that its duties
be esIrtailed 70 the extent OF answering
/ inquiries OF the immigration officials ot
the different States with regard to labor
needed. and thus cut OF the division from
taking the initiative in any manner in
finding employment for admitted aliens.
/ Practically all the labor men condemned
the enterprise. Some Of them went SO
far as 70 claim 20 see IN It a movemen,
on the part OF the government 10 perfec;
machine that ultimately would be in a
position 70 furnish an unlimited number
OF strike breakers. Samuel Gompers. John
Mitchell. and other labor leaders opposed
the division at a special conference. but
former Secretary Straus maintained the
whole object of the division was 70 find
places for unskilled aliens and for those
skilled more or less In the tiIling OF the
soil
The division Of information VIII be two
years old on June 90 and the officials
who have known OF its work claim II
has never furnished a single strike
breaker, and that under its plan OF or
ganization It could not do so. The aliens,
they say, for whom they have found
employment had been distributed in out
lying districts in at least fifteen States.
The claim is made that outside Of the
objections made to its work. If Il is 70
be continued IN its present form and
manner, additional legislation viii be
necessary rs Congress only contemplated
that the division OF information should
be small office OF the Department OF
Commerce and Labor. through which
State authorities could obtain what
amounted TO nothing more than ACADEMIC
information concerning immigrants and
immigration