Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-28
So. American Doors
Are Open to Europe
If u. S. Closes Ours
(By Col. Winfield Jones.)

Washington, d. c.. Dec. 27.-(Spe-
cial.)-If the United States puts up
the immigration bars. as Is now ex-
pected, European immigration will
flow to the Latin American Repub-
lies. in the opinion of members of
Congress and officials of the PAN
American Union.
Millions of Europeans, suffering
from the horrors of war. and the
terrible economic conditions that
have existed in many nations on the
Continent even in those countries
that are now at peace, are seeking
new homes in other lands. Because
many Of their close or collateral rel
atives are now in the United States
their eyes naturally have been turned
to the land of the Stars and Stripes.
With the bars put up in this country
the immigration flood from Europe
will not stop or even be halted--it
will simply be diverted toward other
lands. These countries which will
offer homes to the European seeking
anew his fortune and better living
conditions lie south Of the Panama
Canal.
Many of the countries of South
America would welcome the Europe
an home seekers. This is especially
so in the case of Brazil and the Ar
gentine Republic. Large numbers Of
Germans are already colonized in
Brazil. and large numbers of Ital-
1ans and SpaniardS in the Argentine.
The Germans are so numerous in
Brazil it is said they control several
Of the Brazilian states. Il.
One reason why the Europeans
seeking new homes have not paid
much attention to the South Amer
lean countries is because there ex-
lists general lack Of information,
not to say ignorance, in Europe con-
corning pan-America and tho coun-
tries that lie south of the Equator.
On the other hand nearly every Eu-
ropean knows something Of the
United States and the possibilities Of
earning money and becoming politi-
cally man in the land Of the free
and the home of the brave"
The South American countries are
all sparsely populated. It Is said that
practically all the population of Eu-
rope proper could settle in Brazil
and the Argentine without crowding
each other. In both republics, as
well as many of the smaller pan
American countries. there are vast
areas suitable for farming and cat
tie raising. In these countries the
manufacturing industries, however,
are small and are already almost
wholly in the hands OF the natives
The Europeans going to pan America
would be forced to engage in agri-
cultural and kindred pursuits.
The South American countries are
not alive to the possibilities of fsu-
ropean immigration, according to Of
flcials of the pan-American Union.
The steamships companies plying to
South American ports also do not
seem to realize the possibilities of
diverting the stream OF European i'm
migrants to these countries, though
doubtless when immigration is cut
of to the United States these con-
Germs will soon be shipping thou.
sands OF Europeans to the Southern
lands.
AS far as Mexico and the Central
American countries are concerned
these republics do not offer inviting
fields to the Europeans. Mexico has
never made an effort to secure new
settlers and those that went to that
country unlimited were usually sor-
ry later. particularly after the end
of the Porfirio Diaz regime and the