Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-07

''There are certain fundamental changes
in international conditions that call for
careful consideration Of immigration
policies and laws in America.
There are over 300 bills pending in
Washington, which, il passed, Will shut
put the future supply of immigrant work.
men and will demoralize industrial and
credit conditions in America. They will
also have the effect OF excluding immigrants
who left this country following the armls-
tice to attend to affairs in the homelands
and who may want to return TO America.
The indiscriminate denunciation OF
the foreign born, which has been taking
place in America is resulting in many OF
them leaving this country. 1t is resulting
also in growing MISUNDERSTANDING be-
tween native and foreien-born residents
and in general Generalization OF IN
dustrial and social life.
DECLARES SITUATION GRAVE.
"The situation is a grave one calling
for concerted nationwide action. There
is need of a national policy for dealing
with this entire subject. Discussion OF
selective immigration and its distribution
and assimilation in the country is I'M
perative.
The Immigrant no longer will come to
America to enjoy freedom of worship or
the right of free speech but the "impelilng
reason will he eeonoms," Mr.. Barr said
Our permanon national prosperity de
penGs upon sound production and one OF
its essential features is sufficient supply
of unskilled workers." MIR. Barr con-
tInued. For years IT Is the labor oil the
immigrant that has supplied this need
and unless VIE have a dependable supply
even the raw material upon which skilled
labor itself depends will be lacking" He
added, however, that IF we admit nm
migrants. we must accept only those who
are potentially good citizens, and having
accepted them we must provide the means
that will make good citizens.
Secretary Mcrediths statement out
lined the work of the Department OF
Agriculture and with reference and to the
farm labor problem said;
Many thousands of immigrants who
came from farms in their home country
and who are real lovers of the soil have
been sidetracked in our great cities be-
Gauss they do not know how 10 go about
it to get foothold on the agricultural
ladder
with the poor living condition IN the
conecsted centers these people are likely
10 become discontentcd. Often they are
misplaced. working at occupations tor
which they are untitled, and struggling
to make their wages meet the rising cost OF
existence. Living in colonies IN The cities,
learning nothing of our language, customs
and ideals. they may become the prey OF
agitators and form an element of unrest.
Large numbers of the discontcnted
elements can be transformed into con-
tented agricultural workers If they are
told how 10 make the right move.
I'VE can tell the immigrant with the
small means how to 60 about II to become
an agricultural worker and eventually a
farm owner. We can tell him OF the op--
for the laborer, the wages and
living conditions on the farm. We can
show him the way to use his experience
and capital iu rent ng farm on shares
or he docs hav to go into the unde-
veloped regions to become n farmer but
can make start near home. We can ex-
plaia the steps that lead him from tenant
farming to ownership under a mortgage
and finally to complete ownership OF
farm In that way it Is hoped that the
serious labor shortage in agriculture may
be corrected TO a considerable extent.