The Washington herald., 1914-07-20

ON IMMIGRATION
Labor Department Investiga-
tor Urges Cooperation Be-
tween Europe and U. S.
SECRET AGENTS SCORED
Report to Secretary Wilson Relates llle.
gal Methods by Which Thousands
Are Induced to Leave Home.

Condemnation OF the illegal secret
agency syEtem through which rich
harvest Is reaped from immigrants TO
the United States Is made In an exhaus-
tiye- report on immigration from Eu-
rope and Asiatic Turkey submitted TO
Secretary Wilson. Of the Department Of
Labor, by W. w. Husband. special rep
resentative. who has completed six
months investigation In Russia, Austria
Seryia, Bulgaria, Turkey. and Greece.
The inquiry covered practically every
phase of the immigration problem. in
cIuding visIatiops Of the immigration
and contract labor laws, activities of
steamship agents. artificial promotion OF
immigration, and exploitation OF tmmi-
grants.
Secretary Wilson was especially de-
sirious that means be devised for pre-
venting attempted immigration OF
diseased or otherwise inadmissible per-
sons when the fact that they are of the
excluded classes might be determined at
their homes or, at least. at q foreign
port OF embarkation.
10000 Rejected In 1913.
Nearly 1900 immigrants were rejected
at United States ports In 1913 for various
causes and Secretary Wilson believes
that many of these would not have un-
dertaken the journey had they known the
requirements Of United States law.
The report states that, while avoidance
of military service. a desire for adVen-
ture, dissatisfaction with political and
social conditions. and alleged discrimina-
ton on account of race or religion are
causes OF some immigration from the
sources named. all OF these combined are
of little importance compared with the
simple economic inducement Of higher
wages and a steadier demand for labor
in the United States. Encouraging let
ters from friends in America and evil
dences Of prosperity displayed by re-
turned immigrants. supplemented by the
persuasive work Of steamship ticket
agents and brokers. are given as the
chief secondary or immediate causes
secret Agency system.
Foreign steamship companies are not
permitted to do an open emigration busi-
ness in Russia, and their activities In
other countries are greatly hampered by
strict regulations. Moreover, emigration
from all such countries is illegal unless
consented to by the government which
consent Is often withheld for military
and other reasons. To overcome these
conditions there hEs been developed an
extensive secret agency system under
which a large part OF the emigration
movement from Eastern Europe Is han
died. Agencies of steamship lines or
semi-independent concerns, which cannot
operate legally in countries where emf
grafton originated, are located at con-
yenient points outside such countries,
and these, through cooperation with the
secret agency system, reap rich har-
vest without assuming responsibility for
the violation of law Involved.
Practically all Eastern European i'm
migrants know before leaving home that
| work will be available in the United
States and In many cases the assurance
| is so defnite that they are technically
contract laborers, and therefore liable to
| exclusion. Many OF these, however. do
not seem to realize the fact, for our con-
tract labor law is not generally under
stood in Eastern Europe, possibly be-
cause Il is the direct opposite Of the pol
icy OF Canada and other countries which
seek TO promote immigration by promis-
ing employment.
Contrary to Policy.
The artificial promotion Of lmmlgra-
| tion.'' says the report. "by agencies Is
contrary to the policy OF practically all
immigrant furnishing countries. as well
as to the policy OF the United States
Such artificial promotion Is thought to
be detrimental to the economic welfare
of the countries concerned, and 1t is also
the general belief that the welfare Of
the immigrants. as a class. is more or
| less seriously affected.
! In view OF this the problem is clearly
International one and, therefore
should be subjected to international con-
| troll so far as is feasible. This PROPOSE
| ton was informally discussed with Of
| fcials in charge of immigration matters
1 in various countries. and In every in
stance II met with favor. Mr.. Husband
recommends that a branch of the United
States immigration service be permanent
ly established in Europe and Asiatic
Turkey.
Unless artihcally restricted II is be-
lieved that immigration from Eastern
Europe will continue at its present flood
line proportions for many years, although
in some of the countries there is a feel
| ing that industrial development will
create a home market for surplus labor
as in the case of Germany. In the
! Balkan States and Greece IL is thought
that the development of territory re-
Gently acquired from Turkey will serve
to keep the surplus population at home
and in Italy a like prophecy is made
concerning that country's new posses
sions in Northern Africa. But II this
should occur, says the report, the de-