The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-11

there not existent in them economic
conditions tending to make emigration
difiicult, even IL millions wait in them
anxious to come to the United States
extraordinary difficulties still would
initiate against great immigration.
For instance there is an immense
shortage of shipping. Italy lost sixty
per cent. of hers. France and England
lost considerable percentages OF theirs.
German and British vessels COM
Wandered for the carrying of troops
to the fighting zone will be occupied
for a long time in carrying them back
again. Tonnage Is needed for the
transportation OF raw materials and
cannot be diverted safely from this
work for the purpose Of adjusting it.
self to emigration business.
Poverty is SO general in Europe,
too, that almost the only persons who
could srnigrate would be those receiv-
ing aid for the purpose from the
United States. 1t Is true that of those
coming here in recent years probably
seventy per cent. have been aided in
one way or another. to one extent or
another, by friends in this country,
but this American assistance may not
be as workable in days Immediately to
come as 1t was in those Just precedent
to the war.
Another embargo upon immigration
TO the United States which may he
maintained for some time Is war time
passport regulations. without any
further legislation Europe. II she
wishes to keep her population at home
easily can do so by the continued appli-
cation OF passport rules already opera
tive. During the war Europe, as a
matter OF necessity. discovered an easy
way OF keeping people at home. so as
to prevent the escape of war secrets
and the depletion Of labor and military
power, and. at the same time, we in
the United States. discovered easy
ways Of keeping out of the United
States people whom va did not wish
There.
AT the present moment any
person wishing to leave any Euro
pean country must obtain from his
own Government a passport, and that
| not always Is an easy thing. This
gives his native land an opportunity
! to keep him at home II It desires to dc
so. But even when he has obtained
his passport from the country out OF
which he wishes to depart his troubles
have not come to an end. His pass
port, after he has secured It. will not
permit his embarkauon until 1t has
received the wise of the American con-
sui resident in or nearest to the Eu.
ropean centre from which he wishes
to depart. So even though his own
| country may be willing to let him 60
he Is confronted ere he starts with
the necessity of making certain tina,
the United States Is willing to let him
come.
Easy to Keep People out.
In more than one Elr~pean coun.
try wherein emigration has not beer
prohibited passport regulations remain
| in force which have a prohibitive eff.
feet Such regulations may not dis
appear for a long time.
"The movement in favor of the con.
tinuance of an American embargo
against immigration. working through
similar machinery at all ports of en-.
trance, is strong and influential. In.
deed the demand here is growing, ap-
| parently, for the institution OF new
| restrictions so that the American la.
Dor market may have time fully to re,
adjust itself before rush OF foreign
ers begins, the assumption being thai
this might be disturbing II 1t came be-
fore our own rehabilitation was com,
plete and every man who had Joined
| our fighting forces had been satisfac
torily reabsorbed. 1t is nct improb
able that Congress, during t0e cominl
session, will adopt further restrictions
A bill to that effect, indeed, was re
ported favorably out OF the Senate ant
House committees during the last SEES
sion, although It did not become a law
II have Just spent three months II
Europe, visiting France. England, Ger
many, Belgium and Italy. To me on,
Of the things which was most i'm,
pressive was that during the intensit,
Of war effort countries had learned
how to mobilize industry so that pro
duction could be kept at a maximum.
"The war shot up the productive ca
pacity OF every country from 20 pc
|
mere concentration OF the publ,
mind upon the sciences OF pro
duction and distribution. In nearly
every country of Europe there was q,
great an increase of production that 4
now, under peace conditions, the in
crease of production could be contin
ued 1t would pay the cost OF the who'll
war. In this lay an immense lesson.
ut is a melancholy fact, however
that Europe seems to have scrappe,
this lesson at the very moment whei
she signed the armistice and turne,
back to pre-war conditions OF unre
stricted and unregulated private mi
tiative.
Another lesson which Europ
learned in connection with the con
duct OF its industry was the value o
labor saving machinery. Labor say
ing machinery introduced during tn