The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-02-21

Adding these together we have the to-
tai Of this normal source. only ahout
"0. 0Un entered the United States IN 1910
More than ono left. We therefore
are. not gaining any lahorGrS Nheh
! there is u net II is among skilled labor
Obviously. then. We are cut OH from
! relief from across the Atlantic. There
is very little. If any. hope To the west
and south. Most OF the eastern races
, are automatically excluded either ny
statute or by treaty Monaghan eXclu-
*!Ou.i Is q settled policy OF long standing
Even II 1t were desirable TO ahroghte
cur present laws the temper OF our pco-
pie is opposed TO the entrance OF large
numbers OF alien races which have
proved by experience TO be wholly In
capable Of being assinilinted IN tins
country.
: Likewise any mcntionablc imm,Era-
tinn from Mexico IL excluded. mostly
. h.. cause Of certain features II cur alien
labor laws. notably That embodied In
the lttvracy test. IIul IT no time have
Mexican arrivals reached AMY c"nSidcr-
able numbers and there IS very litto
prospect for any Increase. either for III"
present or the future. We therefor" nre
brought face - FACE with the indubita-
bic fact az stated In the beginning:
The American labor shortage must ha
recruited from within America itself.
For the immcdiH," future iii" most
: serious shortage. in point Of numbers"
Will occur in tho maintenance "I way
departments vf our railroads. These
men mostly arr. un~lIll"d and the forces
are recruited from the bottom Of our
labor market. Ordinarily they were
drawn FROM that once abundant source.
foreign immigration. NOW minus
quantity.
However, transportation iS peculiarly
fortunate in that there Is today great
reserve which the government amy 'i.Ir
Gruu. nearly all a.! which can bc NO.
',illrd Tor railroad Us" aud later Tor
employment on the farms. That reserve
, lies III Porto Rico.
! Why should we. consider bringing CHI
ucsc labor 1890 miles when We have Il
supply 10 more than -" miles AWAY
in Porto EICu: And there also are the
Virgin islands.
! Porto Rico Is the most thickly set
tied territory Of any part Of the United
States. IT is almost ten times us dense
t. populated az the stat" Of Iowa. which
has ~ inhabitants per square mile. To
80 per square miles III Porto Rico. II
+ is supporting 4 population nearly lou
! per cent greater than il Is capable CT
doing under present conditions.
III IN" last week III Jahud!? j. !. It"S-
IT'S. representing til" department Of la-
Dor. SAILED On Il mission which Will bring
a ru;lS idrrrhic measure OF relief 10
American labor dcrnaEds. As rapidly
us ships can transport thcm h" VIII Srud
1000 Porto EirIrS uud !H."r" Virgin
Islanders. all ;,i'lr bodied iahurcrS and
every ono an American citizen. These
viii first Ia: delivered To the railroads
for the annual SprinS reconstruction
and track wayk. ACtcr that they will be
sent into The harvest fields Of the south
c"m states. gradually working north &"
/ IL" Canadian border as the season add
YauC"S.
: This supply from our islands. In con-
. junction with Il radical scheme FOR the
Iilution and distribution Of labor lnau-
guraicd by the department Of Labor.
may hc regarded rs assuring safety fur
, the labor situation in the United States
| for at least another year.