The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-26
NO REFRIGERATION
 WHEN WAR ENDS
European Conflict Has Stop ped Influx of Foreigners
 For Many Years.

the port Of New Ork continues to be fast locked by the European war. Even the shortage of labor, the ex- ceptional prosperity and the high wa ges being paid have failed to stimu- late emgiration from those countries which have not placed an embargo upon it. Thus runs an article by Frederic c. Howe, Commissioner of Immigration, in a recent issue of the World. Under the circumstances we would expect the vacuum created by the closing of the doors of Germany, England, France, Russia, Austria Hungary, Poland and Italy against em- igration to have stimulated the flow from Scandinavia, Denmark, Holland, Spain and Portugal, whose gates are still open to the outgoing flood. This has not occurred
 For the four years prior to the war immigration averaged in the neighbor- hood of 300, 900 a year at the port of New York. The first year of the war it fell to 24s,000. The second year 1t fell still further, to 176,000. The outgoing flood has more than neutral ized the incoming tide. The net loss through this port to our population during these two years was 20,793. There is still some immigration from Italy, and a considerable immigration from Greece, although fthe immi- grants from these countries are large ly men over the military age and wives and children coming to this country to join husbands or parents. During the threc months, May, June and July, 1916, S,056 Greeks entered at the port of New York, 10,355 Italians and A. 6GS Scandin4vians. Should the war be extended over the entire Balkan peninsula, as now seems quite prob able. southern immigration will be re- duced to Italy and Spain. Pure Conjecture After Close of War.
 As to what will happen after the war that is pure conjecture. It depends upon tco many inf1uneces. Undoubt- edly Germany, France and England, the most highly organized of the mili- tary countries. will keep their people at hc1ne. Wages are likely to be high, and the specialization of indus try which has taken place will enable these states to regiment their soldiers
 much. as they have done during the war. This is not true of Russia, Aus tria. Italy and the Balkans, And from these countries it is safe to assume a large immigration will come. These countries have suffered most. They are less highly organized than the other powers. The burden of taxa ton will be heavy, while the devasta- tion in these countries has been very much grfater.N Should they lift the gates and permit their people to mil grate. undoubtedly a very large, pos sib1y a tremendous, immigration will follow the ending of the war from these countries.
 How will the immigrants be financ- ed in view of their poverty? Just as they have been financed in the past. for 80 per cent. of those who come to America receive aid and assistance from friends and relatives already here. It is American money sent to Italy, Austria, Russia and Poland that stimulates emigration to this country; and ill view of the general prosperity of the workers this aid will be freely granted at the close of the.war.
 Immigration is pretty accurate mirror of industrial conditions. When this country is prosperous, when wa ges are high, immigration rises. When times are hard and men are out of employment. immigration falls.
 |/ Will Need Labor Abroad.
 The same rule applies to Europe. When conditions are good men remain at home, for most of those who come to America would much prefer to stay in their native countries if the conditions of life were tolerable. All of these forces will be acting and re- acting on one another at the close of fthe war.
 If the European countries set them selves to rehabilitate the wastage of the war, to rebuild their roads and re- man their factories in order to recap ture their trade, there may be a great demand for labor. If they should
 work out an agricultural program for cutting up the great stretches of feudal estates into small holdings, to be sold on easy terms, this too will tend to keep the people at home.
 lution will follow the war and that
 It is likely that an agricultural revo- the old feudal system which still pre- vaifs almost all over Europe to the east of Berlin will be broken up, and individual homes like those of France will be provided for the people, If <I,fe .l,,