Evening star., 1919-12-30
IMMIGRATION RUSH
ONLY TEMPORARY
New York Authorities Say 1t
Will Not Affect LABOR
Market.
By the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, December 3o-Heavy
immigration. which has taxed the ia
cilities of Ellis Island and delayed un-
loading of steamships at this port, is
only temporary and presages no great
influx of foreigners that will affect
the labor market of the United States,
in the opinion of immi migration author
tiles here They estimated today that
next years immigration through New
York will be only 100000. as COM
pared with pre-war figures of from
500. 900 to 1000, 900 annually.
Few of the thousands of passengers
arriving here daily from abroad are
coming to this country unless they
have been here before or unless rela-
tives are already here. Probably so
per cent of the recent arrivals are
reservists, mostly Italians who left
the United States to fight for their
native land. Many of them are Amer
lean citizens, about whose admission
there is no question. The balance of
the arrivals is composed largely of
fathers. mothers, wives and children
of men. Poles and Czechoslovaks who
immigrated prior to the war and are
now well established.
Many Native Americans Return.
The arrivals include a large repre-
sentation of native born Americans
who had been unable to reach these
shores earlier because of war condi-
ions. Some of them are from Ger
many. AS evidence of this is the fact
that many arrivals have steamshi p
tickets sold to them abroad four or
five years ago.
The character of the present influx is
considered by Representative Isaac Sic
gel, a member of the House immigration
committee, as higher than ever before
Many of the arrivals have thousands of
dollars, representing in some cases the
conversion of property in their native
land or the residue Of prosperous mer-
camille or manufacturing business dam
aged or destroyed by war. The none
tary requirement for admission is SIS,
and before the war thousands of immi-
grants had little or no more than the
minimum.
Must Pass Literacy Test.
With the exception of fathers and
mothers of residents Of the United
states who are at least fifty-fve years
of age. all coming TO the country for the
first time must pass n literay test by
reading clearly forty words of English,
usually an extract from the Constitution.
The test became operative on May l,
1917, and is now receiving its first real
trial as during the war immigration was
about onetenth OF normal Less han 2
per cent are being rejected for illiteracy
One feature of its operation is regard
I'd as working injustice. however, and a
reduction to fifty years in the minimum
age for illiterate parents is contem-
plated by the House committee. accord
ing to Mr.. Siegel. He cites the case of
brothers who immigrated to Boston
years ago, became citizens and were
worth 500, 600 when they sent for their
parents. The father was fifty-one years
of age and could not read. He was de-
ported. 1t is believed that the literacy
test will reduce immigration by 40 per
cent, upon which the estimate of immi-
grafton OF 300.0 900 through New York
next year is predicted.
Further indications that the present
thrush here is but temporary are the
difficulties for any passenger to OBJ
tain passports. and the idleness of
other ports of entry such as Boston,
Philadelphia and Baltimore.
The wise of an American consul
abroad is necessary on an immigrants
passport. Each consul has a taboo list
for his district. names of residents
who are suspected of having aided the
enemies of the allies during the war.
None such is permitted to emigrate to
the United States. When the consul
receives an application for a passport
he has to investigate the character Of
the applicant. Affidavits are required
from the United States as to the char
aete1 aR2sEeS4nrces Of the relatives
Whom the applicant proposes to join.
So rigorous u this passport control
system and SO rushed are the steam
ship lines for accommodations for
those fitted to come to this country
that IT is believed in official circles
that any people besides citizens or
relatives have about one chance in
1000 OF immigrating at present.
stowaways Numerous.
This condition has resulted in an
abnormal number of stowaways in
ships bound for New York. In one
ber of fifty was caught and deported.
Besides slowing away. the only other
method "A lone foreigner. unrelated in
this country, can immigrate is to ship
as sailor on vessel bound for New
York and desert when the vessel
makes port. 1t is in this way, Mr..
Sieeel believes, that bolsheviki and
other reds are now coming to this
country if at all. The only redress
for the government in such a case is
to fine the steamship company $40.
but some other steps that will tend
to stop the practice are contemplated
by the House immigration committee.
The activity of Ellis Island, COM
pared with fdleness at other Atlantic
coast immigration stations, is attrib-
uted to the fact that most of the post
war ALLEGATIONS of shipping were to
this port. II the local activity should
continue contrary to expectations it
is believed that further deportations
of anarchists will be from other ports
than New York. About $1,000 immi-
grants came here in November and
the December figure was far in excess
of that. but this is believed to be due
to the desire of many to spend Christ
mas or New Year day in the United
States.
The physical facilities of Ellis Is
land are considered adequate for any
immigration. even beyond the esti-
mated 100000 for next year. In the
opinion of Mr.. Siegel. the present con-
gestion at the island is due to the
fact that the Department of Labor
furloughed fifty-SiX employees at the
island on November |, retarding
greatly the process Of examining
aliens.