Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-27
Work Accomplished by the I'm
migration Commission.
SOME VALUABLE RETURNS
Study of Communities as Well as of
individuals.
INVESTIGATIONS IN EUROPE
Information Affecting Over 3,OOO,-
600 People Now Being Tabulated.
Nearing Completion.

The forthcoming report to Congress OF
| the immigration commission. which was
created in 1907 to investigate the economic
and social status of immigrants to this
country and test the adequacy of the
present immigration law In itself, as COM
pared with the law of 1908, will present
| some startling facts and figures respecting
the alien immigrant.
When the provision creating the commits
sion was Incorporated into the immigra-
ton act OF February 20. 1907, the subject
of immigration was being earnestly dis
cussed in both Houses Of Congress and by
the public press. BY subsequent action 1t
was directed that this report be submitted
| at the forthcoming session of Congress in
December.
By virtue of the act Senators William
P. Dillingham; of Vermont. Henry Cabot
Lodge of Massachusetts, and Anselm j.
McLaurin Of Mississippi were appointed
by the Vice President to represent the
Senate; Representatives Benjamin +.
Howell Of New Jersey, William s. Bennett OF
New York and John l.. Burnett Of Ala
bama were appointed by the Speaker to
represent the House of Representatives.
and DR.. Charles P. .Neill, Prof. jeremiah
w. jerks and William r. Wheeler were
appointed by the President.
Organizes the Commission.
The commission organized in the spring
of 1907. The first summer was spent
in European investigation. Active field
work in this country began in the spring
of 1908. after the commission had es-
tablished offices here under the direction
Of Senator Dillingham;. it's chairman.
with Morton E. Crane as secretary and
disbursing officer. and w. w. Husband
and c. S. Atkinson as secretaries, al
though the last-named voluntarily re-
tired June 1, 1908 Subsequently branch
offices were established at San Fran
cisco and New York. The central Office.
however, with it's clerical force, remained
here
Three superintendent of agents have
been in charge of the field work. which
Prof. w. Jet Lauck Of the Washington
and Lee University, DR.. Roland P.
Faulkner. former commissioner of edu-
cation for Porto Rico. and Prof H. A.
Mills Of the Leland Stanford University.
The investigation under this organiza-
ton has been pursued along three lines
first, the Individual; secondly, the family,
and thirdly. the community.
Study Of Communities.
More than 100 communities have been
studied in detail in every phase of the
investigation. When the work of investi-
cation ends $1,000 families will have been
studied and the results tabulated. and
original information will have been filed
affecting 3,25O,OOO people. in addition to
information obtained from reports,
statistics and existing compilations af-
fecting perhaps 100000 more. The
school Investigation alone reached 1,5OO,-
600 children and teachers.
The investigation in Europe included
great variety Of subjects, medical and
otherwise, at ports OF debarkatiOn, labor
conditions and their effects on emigration
to the United States; contract labor for
the United States. causes of emigration,
assisted emigration, the emigration Of
criminals and other detectives, the laws
and regulations Of European countries on
the subject of emigration and immigra-
ton. classes of emigrants and character
of emigrants leaving the various coun-
tries, the padrone system and steamship
companies and their agents as factors in
emigration. laws of European countries
in relation to the carriage of steerage
passengers.
Investigation in United States.
In the United States the investigation
was made by race and covered the eco
nomic, sociological and statistical fea-
lures, both historical and as pertained
to the immigration law and its admins
tration, the relation of ocean transporta
work 1t covered the alien SO far as
criminality charities. schools. agriculture
and insane asylums and hospitals are
concerned. and paid special attention to
the effect of recent immigration on Amer
lean Industries and industrial workers.
One million. three hundred thousand
cards asking for data of individual aliens
were sent out from the central Office in
Washington.
From the information cleaned from
these cards the investigation of the fam
lily history of the writer was conducted,
and from the results of the family in
vestigation, the investigation of the COM
munity where the writer belonged Eight
hundred thousand replies were received
to the inquiries on these cards.
The inquiries in every phase of the in
vestigation were both searching and thor
ough, and the officials of the commission
instance the employers spared neither
time money to assist the alien in
perfecting his answers and giving the de-
sired information.
One prominent corporation alone spent
no less than $4,000 in this way without q
penny of return from the government.
Indeed they say, mo previous in
vestigation ever got SO near to the un-
fore" Nor was this all. for data was
secured to make comparison with the
American engaged in the same field and
community.
The communities investigated were Sc.
lected because of the industries they
represented, and the alien population en-
gagged in those industries. Selected dis
tricts in the leading centers in cotton
and wooden goods, clothing, coal-bitumi-
nous and anthracite-meat packing. fur
nture, iron ore mining, iron and steel
work. silk. shoes, glassware, agricult lral
implements. hosiery and knit goods,
leather. oil refining and miscellaneous
industries.
In Congested Districts.
In the congested districts of New York,
Chicago. Philadelphia. Boston. Cleveland,
Buffalo and Milwaukee 1000 families
were studied. While it has been found
that although the alien receives much
higher wages here than in his own home
and it is found necessary for him to take
in boarders in order to get along. the
status of American families is found to
be on a much better basis.
In one industry in a certain locality
it was found that out of $500 males of
eighteen years and over, $500 earned less
than SO a week. both skilled and UNI
skilled: and of 800 females, only 472
earned SO week or over, the time of
labor in each instance being fifty-eight
hours week.
In another industry the average yearly
earnings of males. eighteen years old and
over was found to be 1894. while the
average e-rnings of the American work
er in the same lines was $66S. or ex-
actly double.