Imperial Valley press., 1914-11-17
CONFERENCE
TO COLONIZE THE SOUTH

]
Washington, d. c., Nov. 17.--Sena.
tor Duncan U. Fletcher of Florida
president of the Southern Commercial
Congress, issued call for state and
local officials, representatives of the
press, commercial and civic organiza-
tions, railroad officials, bankers and
real estate and business men of the
South to meet in Washington on Sat-
urday, December 18th, to consider and
devise 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
advisability of undertaking efforts for
placing the agriculturally inclined i'm
migrants now out of employment in
our industrial communities on South
ern farms, and to plan methods of
caring 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 De-
partment of Labor in this work. and
7. 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 a practical
plan by which the South can take adj
vantage of existing opportunities.
There are thousands Of immigrant
families in our industrial communities,
either out of work or on short time,
that have been working and saving
for years in order to be able to return
to Europe and purchase agricultural
homes who are now prevented from
leaving this country. Many of these
people no longer desire to return
abroad in view of the economic burden
which the war has placed on the coun-
tries of Europe, and large groups can
be placed on Southern farms if the
proper efforts are made to secure
them.
Large numbers of European immi-
grants, many of whom will be prac-
ticallv destitute, will come to the
United States at the close of hostil-
tiles n Europe and must be cared for.
The ACCESSIBILITY OF attempting to util-
ize this class of people on the farm
lands of the South will also be con-
sidered.
| Preparations are being made to have
Representatives of the foreign press
in this country, and officials of the
more important of the immigrant So
cieties 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-
lvising 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. 1t is already being
urged that postoffice officials, and the
county agents of the Department of
/ Agriculture cooperate with the fed
eral immigration officials and state
I officials in effecting proper distribr-
ton of immigrants to the agricultural