Bisbee daily review., 1914-11-25
RAILROADS ALREADY PREPARING TO MEET
 IMMIGRATION RUSH
Will Cooperate With Government in Diverting Newcomers at End European War to Farm Lands in America.

CHICAGO, Nov. 24 - Every rail
 road in the south and west win CO.,
 operate with the government in dis
 tributing the millions of immigrants which are eNepected to come to Amer
 lea when the European war subsidies
 The Norfolk and Western has of- Tered l4,O00 acres which the company
 owns in Virginia. and many other lines win follow suit for the rail. roads have awakened Co the oppor- tunity Go increase the settlements along their lines The Atchison and Great Northern are large owners of land in the West, and are consider ing plans for opening the land on easy terms to the alien farmers.
 According Co James J. Hn. the plan depends for success on the class Of immigrants that win come. While there are many difficulties to be en. countered in reaching a basis of dis tribution which appeal to tho allies and at the same time be equitable to the stockholders of the railroads. there is much optimism expressed by railroad men.
 The immigration flow has fallen off 75 per cent since the opening of the European War, but flood of new corners is anticipated as soon as the stricken people can get accom-. modations on the transatlantic lin- CTS.
 The United States government real i2es the seriousness Of the situation. and is already planning to take care of the immigration, particularly with view to turning it away from the cities and industrial centers and plac- ing it where it is most needed on the farms
 The railroad men, through the Rail- road development association. will CO., operate with the government scheme. which includes the utilization of the agents of the Department of Agri- culture, the immigration officials at ports of entry and the postoffice de- partment The postoffice department ] will be utilized for the collection of information both from the employers and from those who want work. This information win be available both 10. cally and at the ports of entry, and the needs of the farmers and the op- portunities in rural districts will be met as far as possible by this CO., operative effort.
 It is pointed out by government sta. tisucians that nearly three-fourths of the immigrants. or 72 per cent, have remained in the large cities of Amer ica New York alone has 100000 fQreign-born. Chicago has 7SS.OOO. Philadelphia 3S4O0O Boston 243.OOO and Cleveland i96,OOO Fall River. one of the cotton-mill towns of New Eng l. land, has 42.7 percent of it's popula- tion of foreign-born immigrants.
 The plan adopted by the Railway Development Association was sug- gested by a commission in Belgium which is studying conditions there and trying to find some way to re. beye the people who will suffer ar the end of the war That this suffer. ing will be intensified when the army disbands, and the soldiers return home to find their farms devastated. is expected by the Belgium commis- sion.
 F. H. La Baume, president of the railway organization says: "The rail roads of the country are among the largest owners of farm lands in the l world. These immigrants. if left to { shift for themselves, will congregate { in the cities and increase congestion. If the railroads will understand that every farmer who settles along their ' right of way means more business. Ir they shouud be willing to donate sec. c
 - | 111s