Scranton Wochenblatt. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1865-1918, 1917-12-13
immigration may
turn to Europe.
BY RIcHAR DRARRY
Issues And Events.

leans, representing almost every
nationality of Europe, are plan
ming to go back to the lands of
their birth as soon as peace IS
declared. They are, as it were,
straining at the barrier, waiting
for the flag of peace to drop,
whereupon will occur such an
exodus from these shores as has
never occurred before in our
history.
So many inquiries about
transportation abroad have been
pouring into the steamship and
railway offices during the past
few months that a census was
recently taken, unof6cially, by
these Offices, with the resulting
revelation that approximately
100000 foreign-born persons
now on American soil are plan
ming to return home. Commits
sioner of immigration Frederic
c. Howe says that he is of the
opinion that, on most con-
servative estimate, at least q
100000 people will return to
Europe the first year after the
war if they can secure accomo-
dation. Other immigration Of
fcials have said, privately, that
they would not >be surprised to
see 100000, 100000 or even
100000 go back. AS the aver
age emigration out of America
for years previous to 1914 was
between 100000 and 100000
(about one-fourth of the aver
age immigration), this country
has looming before it an as
tonishing phenomenon.
For centuries the flow OF peo-
Piles has been westward. The
emigration of the tribes, from
the dawn of Our era, has been
toward the setting sun. Is the
close of the great war to mark
the end of this era in history?
Has man at last looked his fill
on the lands of the West? And
is migration now to take its
flow, for the first time since the
discovery of America, toward
the rising sun? And if so,
why?
The question was put to Mr..
Howe by the New York Times.
yes" he said, 1--WE are, it
seems to me, on the threshold
of vast change. 1t is idle to
think our immigration problem
will continue as it has been.
Unless all signs are wrong and
our Government, national as
we'll as State, institutes drastic
measures, we may see almost 4
complete reversal of conditions.
To put it slangily, we will have
to take the i out of immls -
ton and replace it with an 'e'."
The commissioner spoke from
his well-placed office on Ellis
Island. The old atmosphere of
the island is gone. The days
when the ways swarmed with
picturesque alien peasants, bab-
bling in variegated tongues a
Babel of elation, confusion and
anxiety, all incident to a monu-
mental hegira, are no more. The
Enclosures are now empty. FL
lis Island is marking time.
But" I demonstrated, sure
ly there will be a resumption of
immigration after the war.
Surely millions will flee from
war-ridden Europa for asylum
in America. l should think the
first year after the war would
be the greatest year of immigra-
tion in our history"
NO" replied Mr.. Howe, 81
think not. At least the net i'm
migration is not likely to be
very large; that is, if you sub
tract those going from those
coming
What reasons have you for
thinking so many are going
back?"
First, census taken by rail-
road and steamship companies,
showing that at least 100000
of our foreign-born are planning
to go to Europe the moment
peace is declared. Second, the
reports of large number of
employers in Western cities that
there seems to be a concerted
movement to induce Hungar-
ians, Austrians and other Cen
tral European peoples to return
to their native land. Third, bank
ers in the coal and industrial
regions report that Poles, Ital-
ians and Russians in very large
numbers are saving money and
making preparations for return.
Fourth, my study of European
agricultural conditions as con-
traSted with those in the Unit