The Prescott daily news., 1914-11-14
IMMIGRATION CONFERENCE
 HELD WASHINGTON DEC. 12TH
southern Commercial Congress Calls tongress--Place Immigrants on Southern Farms. Department
 of Labor Joins Call.

Washington, D. C., Nov 14.-Sena- tor Duncan U Fletcher of Florida, President of The Southern Commercial Congress, issued a call today for state and local officials, representatives of the press, commercial and civic organ izatlohs, railroad officials, bankers. and lreal-estate and business men of the South to meet in Washington on Sat urday, December 18th, to consider and Idevise methods of interesting and To- eating agricultural immigrants in the Southern States The call is issued by The Southern Commercial Congress. with the approval of Secretary Wilson of the Department of Labor, at the instance of leading business men throughout the South to discuss the Iadvisability of undertaking efforts for placing the agriculturally inclined immigrants now out of employment in our industrial communities on South ern farms, and to plan methods of car ing for the horde of foreigners that will probably come to this country at the close of the European conflict
 Secretary Wilson will deliver the opening address at the conference. The Southern Commercial Congress will have the cooperation of the Depart Iment of Labor in this work and Mr. T. V. Powderly, chief of the division of information of the Bureau of Inn migration, has been designated to ac- lively assist in arranging for the meeting.
 The conference is called, it is stated, to determine Southern Immigration policy, and to work out practical plan by which the South can take ad- vantage of existing opportunities. There are thousands of immigrant families in our industrial communi- ties, either out of work or on short time, thar have been working and sav- ing for years in order to be able to re- turn to Europe and purchase agricul- tural homes who are now prevented from leaving this country. Many of these people no longer desire to re- turn abroad in view of the economic burden which the war has placed on the countries of Europe, and large groups can bep laced on Southern farms if the proper efforts are made to secure them.
 Large numbers of European immi- grants. many of whom will be prac-
 tically destitute, will come to the
 United States at the close of hostili-
 ties in Europe and must be cared for. The advisability of attempting to uti-
 ize this class of people on the farm Hands of the South will also be con-
 sidered.
 Preparations are being made to have representatives of the foreign press in this country, and offi- cials of the more important of the immigranJ societies to attend the con- ference. In addition to Secretary Wilson, other high officials of the fed eral government will also be in atten- dance.
 The fact that the South possesses peculiar opportunities and advantages in this instance is fully realized by the officials of The Southern Conner cial Congress and they will see that the conference directs its attention to devising a system of financing agri- cultural settlements in the Southern States and to the task of establishing an immigrant service capable of pro- perly handling and directing this inn portant 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. It is already being urged that postoflice officials, and the county agents of the Department of Agriculture cooperate with the fed eral immigration officials and state officials in effecting proper distri- button of immigrants to the agricul- tural regions.