The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-04-04


has stemmed the tide of immigration
it has not entirely stopped it. And
as the flow of immigrants from Eu.
rope has been cut down to compare
lively nothing, it has increased at the
Canadian, Mexican and Pacific sta
tions.
For a decade before the war, the
annual influx Appropriated mil
lion year. From July to December
last year the number fell to 80,222.
Moreover the decreasing stream OF
newcomers is being offset to a re-
markable degree by the exodus from
America of those desiring to return
to their native lands. In fact, the
departures outnumbered the admit.
tances in November and December.
A great many of those leaving the
country since the beginning of the
war have been Allied reservists who
have gone back to answer the call to
the colors.
While war conditions have cur
tailed the usual duties of the immi.
grafton service, a new field has been
opened that requires even more in
tensive application and effort. Begin.
ming with the seizure of the German
ships, the service has been called up
on to assist other agencies of the
government in many important lines
OF work. Especially have the inspec-
tors been active in prohibiting the en-
trance or departure of enemy aliens,
In the detection of spies, the surveil.
lance and apprehension of SUSPECTS
and in capturing draft law evaders.
A great part of the facilities of the
migration stations, especially along
the Atlantic coast, have been turned
over to other lines of war work. The
great receiving depot at Ellis Island
now is devoting only Is or 30 per cent
OF Its space to handling immigration,
ana somewhat similar conditions ex-
list at other Atlantic ports.
AS ever, the service is cmployed
actively in preventing surreptitious
entry into the country of objection.
able aliens, chiefly Chinese coolies.
Although the traffic has been cut
down materially by vigilance, the
great financial inducements offered
those who successfully can run the
blockade prevent a complete curtal-
ment of the practice.
The number of stowawavs on ships
was twice as many in the last half
OF 1917 as in the preceding twelve
months, SO altogether having been
detected and debarred. Included in
the number were several German
soldiers who deserted, fled to neutral
countries, then sought to find a safe
haven by hiding on American-bound
vessels.
Although the tide of immigration
dropped from a million to 100000 the
first year of the war and has since
steadily been on the Decline there is
every prospect that the flow will not
resume its pre-war proportions for a
decade or more after the treaty of
peace.
America, practically since its discov-
cry, has been the land of promise for
the ambitious, the adventuresome, or
the oppressed people of other lands.
Beginning with the Argonauts of the
early seventeenth century who estab-
lished colonies along the Atlantic
seaboard, the tide steadily had in.
creased until the first part of the
present century saw millions eagerly
setting their faces towards the new
world.
They came principally in the steer
age of the great ocean liners, ever
with determination to win fortune
and enjoy liberty. The immigrants
still come from Europe, but in small
scattered groups, mostly of women
or children joining relatives here.
The ravages of war have made it an
absolute necessity for the belliger-
ents to retain within their own bor-
ders all useful manpower-not alone
for active fighting. or imperative nom
combatant tasks behind the lines, but
for the great work of rehabilitation
that must start when hostilities
cease.
Even the neutrals-Norway, Swe-
den, Denmark and Holland-are dis.