Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-01
IMMIGRATION FALLS
FAR BELOW USUAL
RECORD IN THIS CITY
Only 39,998 Aliens Have
Landed Since January |.
Steamship War and Strug-
gle in Europe Responsible.

War of two kinds, a commercial war
and the bloody struggle now involving
the great powers of Europe, is respon
siblc for the decline in immigration at
this pors From January | until today
3g,9SS aliens landed at the various steam
ship docks in this city. In the same pc
riod last year, the number was 5SOSS,
and the total for the whole year, 5000,
was the banner record for the port. The
current year promises to be the worst In
the ports history.
Only 1850 aliens were brought here the
past month. This is the smallest number
in years to arrive in this length of time.
The best month of the present year was
April, when the arrivals numbered 59l5.
immigration through this port was cut
early in the year by a steamship war
between the North German Lloyd Steam
ship Company and the Hamburg Amer
lean Steamship Company, which diverted
thousands of aliens to Canada. These
two lines bring more than two-thirds of
the immigrants to this port. The out
break of the war in August tended to
add further to the decline. The two lines
Ill question:, IOSeInGT WIFI lIb TNtu obdI
Line, were compelled to cancel sailings
to and from this port and the call to
the colors lcssened the number If i'm
migrants usually brought in on vessels
of other lines.
Commissioner of Immigration Greena-
walt admitted yesterday that the num-
Der OF arrivals was decreasing. but lie
declared his force was kept busy attend
ing to other routine affairs and the in
VpStiYp tiDn pf Spppiul that had been
sandwiched between incoming steamships
in the past.
DO you believe, Commissioner, that
the end of the present struggle in Eu-
rope means tremendous influx of Inn
migrants" he was asked.
81 am not in a position to answer that
question" Commissioner Greenwalt re-
piled, This is the greatest war history
has ever known, and who can foretell its
aftermath? From logical conclusions, |
would deduct that 1t will mean a rush OF
men, women and children to our friendly
shores. The devastation wrought by war
will mean that many will be homeless and
penniless. The countries will be heavily
taxed and these people, already over
burdened, will no doubt look about for
a refuge to begin life anew. The fact
that many will be poverty stricken will
be barrier to them coming here. as
thousands who may desire to come to
their passage. However. l believe that
l can safely predict gain in immigration
here at the close of hostilities, but just
how heavy that gain will be remains to
be seen"
GLOUCESTER STATION DESERTED.
The Detention House, at the Gloucester
Immigration Station, admittedly the best
of its kind in the country has the ap-
pearanCe OF a deserted house. The COM
Portable rooms. beds and lounging chairs,
which have held representatives of nearly
every nation under the sun, are now idle.
A silence pervades where once there echo |
ed the sounds of polyglot tongues
One person to whom the war is as pop
ular as a safety razor salesman to a |
barber. is Mrs. Anna l.. Palmer, who has |
given thousands of aliens their first taste |
with the United States Government to |
supply detained immigrants with meals.
When there are none to feed, she makes !
no money. The more immigrants detain- |
ed. the more money she makes. The con- |
tract calls for three meals to each alien, |
for which she receives ~ cents 1t has |
been one of the wonders Of the immI- |
grant station how Mrs Palmer could sup |
ply such wholesome and delicious meals |
for such small sum. She declares she |
can do so and make living Mrs
Palmer has been the supervisor of the |
immigrants meals for 10 years
The immigration figures at this port for
the nine months of the current year COM
pared with the same months of last wear
follow