The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-05-04


order department show that millions
of dollars are sent to Europe each
year by the immigrants. and mil
lions are deposited by them in pos
tai savings banks, not to speak Of
deposits and remittances made :;
and from private banks; Whlch
shows that the alien has an instinc-
tive disposition to save his wages
and send them home to his family
in Europe.
The habit of saving, otherwise so
commendable, is the motive for 80
many reproaches against the alien.
The native American regards his
foreign fellow worker as the direct
cause of low wages. The learned
economist laments for the millions
which are earned here by the for
eign laborer and sent out of the
country. For the existing low
wages the immigrant can hardly be
blamed; and for sending his honestly
earned money to his family at home,
he is certainly less to blame than
are many rich Americans who spend
their American made income entire
ly abroad.
But in my opinion, the saving of
his wages is the first and most i'm
portant factor in preventing the
foreigner from getting acquainted
with American ways, customs and
life. To live on wages. which are
not SO generous and at the same
time save money to pay the mort
gage on his home in Europe, forces
the immigrant to content himself
with the cheapest lodgings and
food; and thus we see in all Ameri-
can large cities the foreign board
ing house," These houses are
mostly located in the industrial dis
tricts of the city, between chimneys
and factories, and also there are
dwellings awaiting the wrecking
crew, to make room for another
factory plant or warehouse, and for
that reason are not considered by
the owner to be worthy of any i'm
prOvement, and are often not con-
nected with the light or sewer sys-
tenn of the city; and on many of
these houses is to be found a sign,
posted by the city board of health,
reading: These Premises are I'm
sanitary" However. this sign
does not prevent the premises from
being rented. And because the rent
is cheap, they are rented by for
eign boarding boss. This res 9oct-
able gentleman is usually an 4AlaerI-
canized citizen, and be is not in
| business for the love of his country
men, but more for the benefit of his
pocketbook.
AS soon as the house is rented
the boarding boss will put in each
room as many beds as possible, and
the house, which was built for an
average family of four or five per-
sons. will be crowded at least with
twenty foreign boarders and room
ers. And if one of the factories
close by should work night shift.
then this number soon will be
doubled, because when the day
crew gets up in the morning the
night crew will occupy their places.
In this manner the immigrant
living in the United States. which
is celebrated in Europe for hel
splendid conveniences and comforts
regarding homes, will never have
the opportunity to enjoy, or not
even to see them. And while we
claim there is in America room fol-
a few hundred millions more OF
people, the immigrant is living in
his boarding house or camp hunks
in space which hardly supplies
air necessary for breathing. Will
you blame him if he sighs often fol-
his little thatched home in the old
country?
Continued next week.