The Washington herald., 1919-05-15
BUSINESS BACKS
EFFORT TO HALT
U.S.EMIGRATI0N
Marked Decrease in Labor
Supply Is Feared by,
Employing Interests.
THOUSANDS co DAILY
New York Departures Net
Government $4,000 a
Day In Taxes.

For the first time. in history emil
grafton from the United States has
reached the stage whGre it is being
given serious consideration by en-
ployers. who fear a marked decrease
in the labor supply.
Heretofore the tide has run the
other way-into the United States
but thousands OF Italians, Poles and
Bohemians are leaving daily for Eu-
rope.
The cessation OF hostilities has
given the Italians their first oppor-
tunity in four years to visit their
native land. Many OF these Italians
may return to this country. The be-
lief. however. does not hold true
with regard to Poles and Bohemians.
They are going to Europe because
they think the new Poland and new
Czecho-Slovakia, now free and inde-
pendent nations. will offer them op-
portunities equal il not superior TO
those found in the United States
Organised Effort Planned.
An organized effort to stem the sud-
den exodus may soon be Forthcoming.
A committee of New York employ
ers. of which Coleman du Pont and
Felix Warburg are members, is CIV
ing attention to the subject.
TDano ~
stance. are so numerous that they net
the government $4,000 a day in in
come taxes. All prospective emigrants
are required to produce either re-
ceipt indicating payment of their in
come tax. or proof that they did not
earn enough money 10 come within
the tax limits. In the event the first
is absent they are taken to the office
of-the- internal revenue scciiector and
compelled to pay their just taxes
News OF the increase in emigration
was made public in connection with
Secretary Bakers order removing the
passport ban on wives and mothers
Of soldiers who wish to visit their
VI sOiS
In Effect June IS.
The War Departments official OBJ
jection-which prevented the travel
of relatives of soldiers to France
was made at the outbreak of the
war. and its passing becomes OPERA
tive on June Is.
A number of provisions make
travel of this nature. even after
June Is. practically impossible. One
is that the wife or mother must go
to France prepared to stay six
months at least. The necessity of
the use of all available westbound
tonnage for the transportation of
troops, both American and Canadian,
in the six months beginning June
Is. is the reason.
Soldiers widows. or mothers who
have lost sons in the war, will not
be permitted to go to Europe until
the six months period is up, because
OF this shortage of tonnage, Acting
Secretary of State Frank Polk de-
clared yesterday.
Passport Policy Unchanged.
The state Departments general
passport policy continues the same
as it has been during the war. Only
imperative business reasons will JUS
tify a trip to Europe. as conditions
abroad. both from the standpoint Of
food and prices. are deemed fully
as bad as while the war was in prog
ress.
The department is doing all in its
power to discourage overseas travel,
and in so doing il is acting in ac
cordance with the expressed wishes
of the British. French and Swiss
governments. The British do not
want tourists for at least eight months
to come. and the French and Swiss
say that not until after the next
harvest will their countries be in a
condition to support additional
boarders.