The Washington times., 1916-09-23
Economic Efficiency
OF u. S. Threatened,
Declares Socialist
Jacob H. Holland Tells intercollegiate Society of
Dangers of Further Restriction on immigration.
John Spaego Hints at Possible War;

TO healthy children and adults, with the
result that the governments OF Europe
win take steps to restrict emigration"
European nations do absorb all their
native surplus labor. an effective labor
demand In the United States can secure
Its supply from but two sources. Mexico
Mr.. spargo did not take the position
that there should be no restriction upon
immigration. IL was absurd to contend
that We ought to admit without. ques-
tion all aliens who choose to come to
Mr.. spsrgo disagreed with most of
the reasons offered by the tradt union
restrictionists in favor Of exclusive
legislation. especially as the reasons
dealt with labor conditions. The re-
migration lowers the standard Of living
among the working people, creates un-
fair competition among the workers,
lowers wages. lengthens the working
day. and makes organization Of the
workers difficult.
Hard to Demonstrate.
II In difficult statistically to demon
strate, he claimed. that there has been
any lowering OF the standard OF Lying
in the United States due to immisra-
tion as such.
wages are not lower in the States
which have the greatest immigration" /"
he said. nor are they higher In those
having the least The contrary n
practically true. Relative to- the or
ganization of the working people into
trade unions, labor organizations do
not flourish best in the States and cities
most free from immigration"
But even admitting that immigration
does tend to produce the deplorable
labor conditions claimed by the re-
strictionists, Mr.. Spargo gave II as his
conviction that excluding the Immigrant
from the labor market is not the solu-
goods made thousands of miles away
has the same effect on the standard OF
living OF the working people as does
the competition Of laborers at the fac
Is "fhe socialist method 6f dealing with
the immigration question is not the ex-
clusion of the elien." explained Mr..
Spargo: We propose that the or
gsni.ed working people in the yarioy
ing by legislation shortening the work.
| ing day. fixing the minimum wage, es-
| tablishing proper housing conditions. old
age pensions. social insurance, and 80
J forth.
Welcome to Membership.
The alien should be welcomed into
union membership. And a general cam
J paign of education should be carried
| on to educate the working peopleIin the
backward nations relative to conditions
| In other nations. II the workers from
the Balkan states come to the United
States and underbid the American
| worker. the way to handle that problem
Is not to exclude the Balkan workers
| but rather to build up the labor move
Inent In the Balkan states and Snlighter
, the workers there relative to conditions
| in America. Il
In regard to exclusion Of the Japanes,
Mr. Spargo declared that I'VE cannoi
treat the Japanese with contempt and
exclude them as undesirables by special
legislation without incurring theii
war. And II there Is an attempt &c
permanently keep the Japanese out oi
the United States We will OF necessity
be compelled to maintain the largest
to make effective the exclusion legisla'
tion.H
The eAmerican-Japanese war IN sure tc
come. concluded Spargo. II we continue
the exclusion policy.
Concludes Session.
Algernon Lee, Of New York. director
Of the Rand School of Social Science
who recently spent seven weeks II
Europe as the representative of th'
socialists of the United States. at tn,
conference of the International Socialis
Bureau, concluded the session with I
discussion of the ''class struggle" II
Europe at the close OF tho war.
Mr.. Lee said that the struggle betweel
labor and capital has been "temporaril!
suspended by both workers ana capital
ists' during the war for national In
tegrity." He predicted that the con
test would be renewed with vigor a
soon as peace Is declared. and believes
that ultimately Tabor will triumph Il
its struggle for economic emancipation.