United labor bulletin., 1911-03-16

from the records of 81 national and in
ternational trade unions it is found that
during the year 1908 from 10 to 20 per-
cent of the members of various trades
were in enforced idleness for period of
one month or more. These 81 unions
are selected from the highly skilled
trades, in which organization is most
thorough and systematic. Their rec
ords show that an average of 80 per cent
of the total membership was unem-
ployed.
If this ratio applied to other organiza-
tions, it would indicate that approximate
ly 100000 organized workmen were
without employment during the past
year. Assuming that unemployment af-
fected the unskilled and unorganized
wage-earners in the same proportion, it
would mean that 100000 wage-earners
were unemployed; and while there has
been marked Improvement in industrial
conditions during the past few months,
it will not be contended that unemploy-
ment, both as to the proportion who
were so unemployed and in actual physi-
cal and mental distress, because the
organized workman, in most instances,
had built up in normal times a fund upon
which he could draw to tide him over
his emergency; whereas the unskilled
and unorganized workmen-many of
whom are recently arrived immigrants
were forced to depend upon charity or
upon the munificence of their friends to
carry them over the industrial crisis.
In connection with this subject a
significant feature of our immigration
problem presents itself. OF the 113.03S
aliens admitted in March, 1909, which
figures are typical of all other periods
in recent years. only 1924 were skilled
workmen while 77,05S were unskilled
laborers; the remaining 25,756 being
women and children, professional men,
and others having no definite occupa-
ton. In other words, these figures show
that less than 10 per cent of the aliens
admitted in the month of March were
equipped and trained to follow a given
line of employment. whereas 77,05S were
thrust upon us. in most cases so situated
that they would be compelled to accept
the first job, and at any wages, offered
to them. 1t is true that many thousands
of these laborers are classed as farm
hands," but it requires no exhaustive in
uuiry to discover that a farm hand from
continental Europe rarely seeks employ
ment as a farm laborer in America.
Farming in Europe and farming in
America are two separate and distinct
propositions. In this country farming Is
done with modern machinery; in con-
tinental Europe the work is done by
hand and the European farm laborer is
little better equipped to operate the ma
chinery on an American farm than is a
section hand to drive locomotive.
The facts are that the immigrant who
was a farm laborer in his own country
seeks employment in America in the I'M
skilled trades. He becomes mill hand.
factory worker, an excavator. section
hand and in large numbers he becomes
a mine worker. 1t is only necessary to
visit the mining districts of the Eastern
tafa a m
towns. and the centers of the textile in
dustry to find these erstwhile European
farm laborers. They have been colon
lied, and because of the large numbers
who are congregated together the OPP
portunity for or the possibility OF their
assimilation is greatly minimized. The
temptation to establish and perpetuate
the customs and standards OF their
own countries instead of adopting the
standards of our country. is so great that
If the system of colonization continues
1t will take several generations to ANAL
eamate these races and blend them into
an American people. This condition Is
not best for them, neither Is 1t good for
us 1t is simply the result OF an unregu-
I lated immigration and an unwise dis
tributon OF aliens.
While wage earners will undouhtcd,y
indorse the principle laid down by the
Commissioner of immigration at the port
of New York. the enforcement OF tina,
policy should not be discretionary with
him. II we are going to regulate i'm
migration at ALL we should prescribe by
law definite conditions. the application
of which would result in securing only
those immigrants whose standards and
ideals compare favorably with our own.
To that end wage earners believe
First That in addition to the restric-
lions imposed by the laws at present in
force the head tax OF 81 now collected
should be increased to so.
Second That each immigrant. unless
he be political refuge. should bring
with him not less than s25, in addition
to the amount required to pay transpor-
tation to the point where he expects to
find employment.
Third. That immigrants between the
ages of IA and 80 years should be able
to read a section of the Constitution of
the United States, either in our language.
in their own language, or in the language
of the country from which they come.
While the writer holds no commission
that gives him authority to speak in the
name of the American wage earners, he
believes that he interprets correctly in
this article their general sentiment upon
the subject of immigration.