Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-02


paid the equivalent of fines to the
sum OF S6S.0o0
IF we leave the gates of the coun-
try open only halfway hundreds of
thousands of worthless and criminal
aliens Will be brought here by steam
ships eager for the money that is in
the carrying business.
Patriotic French. British. Belgians
and ITALIANS VIII remain at home and
assist in the rehabilitation of. their
Industries and their nations But in
every town and city of Europe there
are undesirable men and women,
siackers, paupers and so on. and they
VIII come to the United States, pas
sage paid, and many of them will get
past the officials
Then large employers of common
labor will argue down. if they can,
the proposal to stop all immigra ton
until the country is again on a nor
NAL basis. Some of them will talk
about business in the same old con-
Ventionsl fashion and will say that
the cost of production must be
brought down from present levels If
we are successfully to compete in the
worlds markets with other manufac-
turing countries.
The cost of production, as the
phrase is used. will. of course, refer
to wages. / don't wish to take up
the question of wages at present All
that l care to say is that the subject
Will prove to be one of much gravity
and delicacy. 1t would appear that
SO long as living is dear wages can't
be substantially lowered.
perhaps profits can be cut. If pro-
ducers and dealers cooperate, and
then, naturally, there will be a fall In
prices. When that occurs, we can
take up the matter of wages Every
thing has been on war basis The
move ent downward to normal CON
ditions, theoretically, should be in
concert. Theoretically. l said. and I
would also say Justly Perhaps. after
the air clears. we can act together
ana IN harmony, every one forge ting
the imitation of the war. period and
racing the future somewhat unset
fshly.
we must not forget that much of
our prosperity depends on wages and
that overSupply which drives down
the price of wheat or cotton, reduces
the price of labor. Annually, during
the hve-year perid that endei with
the outbreak of the war in Europe,
million immigrants. on the average
entered the United States In no wear
since 1904 and, until the year 1915
mas the number been less than 7S3. 1000
In my opinion, unless we amend
present laws, emigration to this eoun-
try viii soon reach the highest figures
IN history, Are we ready for new mill
lions Of workers? Every year since
l9O2 more than 100, 600 Russians have
4 IL a
The number in 1913 was a9t 900 and in
1914 it was 256,DoO
Russians, l said. We have taken in
over 100000 of these people during
the last generation. DO we want
more. OF them at this ijuncture? You
may say that this country is refuge
for the oppressed. A benevolent mans
house also can be shelter for the
oppressed. hut, ] can see hou the
house gould be filled from the cellar to
the attic and how the benevolent man
would soon,need shelter for himself.
'F Fs2t ~
X
we have enough Russians in my
opinion; at Feast for the time being.
Let, us, Amerlcanize them before we
try our'methods on millions of others.
More than 100000 Italians have
ictShSu Jul 1904. TIC
average was greater than 100000 an
nually betReen the years 1900 Ind
1914. All records were broken In 1907
when 2ss,000 Italians landed in the
United States. Tn the year 1914 tho
was 265. 900. 1t was 2S4,O0O in
1914. De-.
IAN italian war commission which
visited Washington stated that
Italy's surplus population IN normal
times averaged 100000 men, women
and children. outlets had to be
found for them, that the Italians at
home might have food and work. SO
the surplus took ships and sailed FOR
America
II would temporarily shut our ports
to italy. As I stated earlier In our
conversation. 100000 immigrants