Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1914-11-26
InKIGRATIOa dAGREss.

q Labor geins d hs ealL.


Il Labor ssins il h. Gail
Washington, ID. G.. Nov. H. senaG
tor Duncan T.. Fletcher, OF Florida.
President Of The Southern Comnlerefal
Congress, issued call today for
state and local officials. representa-
tives of the press, commercial and
civic organizations. railroad officials
bankers, and real-estate and business
men OF the South TO meet in Washing
ton on Saturday, December 18th, to
consider and devise methods OF inter-
estiog and locating agricultural lmni-
grants in the Southern States. The
call Is issued BY The Southern Com
mercial Congress, with the approval
of Secretary Wilson of the Depart
ment OF Labor, at the instance OF lead
ing business men throughout the South
to discuss the advisability Of UNDER
taking efforts for placing the agricul-
turally inclined immigrants now out
of employment in our industrial CON-
munities on Southern farms, and 10
| plan methods of caring for the horde
of foreigners that will probable come
to this country al the close OF the Eu-
ropean conflict.
Secretary Wilson will deliver the
opening address at the conference.
The Southern Co9mercial Congress
will hare the cooperation of the De-
partment of Labor In this work, and
Mr.. T. v. Powderly, chief Of the di-
vision of information of the Bureau
of immigration, has been designated
to actively assist in arranging for the
meeting.
The conference is called, it is stated,
to determine Southern immigration
policy and to work out a practical
plan by which the South can take
advantage of existing opportunities.
There are thousands of immigrant
families in our industrial communities
either out Of work or on short time,
that have been workidg and saving
for years in order TO I,c able To return
TO Europe and purchase agricultural
homes who are now prevented from
leaving this country. Most of these
people no longer desire to return
abroad in view of the economic bur-
den which the war has placed on the
countries of Europe, and large groups
can be placed on Southern farms il
the proper efforts are made to secure
| them.
Large numbers of European immi-
grants, many of whom will he practi-
cally destitute, will come 20 the United
States ut the close of hostilities in
Europe and must be cared for. The
advisability of attempting to utilize
this class of people on the farm lands
of the South will also be considered.
Preparations are being made to
have representatives of the foreign
press in this country, and officials of
the more important of the immigrant
societies to attend the conference. In
addition to Secretary Wilson, other
high officials of the Federal govern
ment will also be in attendance.
The fact that the South possesses
peculiar opportunities and advantages
in this instance is fully realized by the
officials of The Southern Commercial
Congress and they will see that the
conference directs its attention to de-
vising a system of financing agricul-
tural settlements in the Southern
States and to the task of establishing
an Immigration service capable OF
properly handling and directing this
important work.
A large attendance is expected for
the subject of immigration Is now pro-
voking considerable attention through
out the country, and is commanding
serious consideration on the part of
the Government. IL is already being
urged that postoffice officials, and the
county agents of the Department of
Agriculture cooperate with the federal
immigration officials and state officials
in effecting proper distribution of
immigrants to the agricultural regions.