The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-04-15
MANY PROBLEMS
DISTURB CAPITAL
WASHINGTON LETTER DISCUSSES
IMMIGRATION AND LACK
OF FREIGHT CARS
WOMEN P|CKETS CREATE RESENTMENT
Congressman Howard Gives Some In
terestins Information on Cost
of Oil Production.
ISy j. r.. Jones

Inc attempt DelnB maze Dy women
pickets to Erishize sentiment in the
national capital has created no end
of resentment in Washington, where
there is an attitude of respect main
tanned toward the representatives of
foreign governments that probably be-
fits the official and semi-ofiicial posi-
ton Of the carefully picked representa-
tive people who are in charge of for
eign affairs at Washington There is
little need to ask what the pickets |
who have been stationed in front of
the British embassy expect to accom-
plish That question was answered |
when the women picketed the White
House in the interests OF woman suf- |
frage In that instance as well as
in the present case the picketing OF
the embassy is publicity that possesses
a terrific force. However much one
may disapprove of such radical meas /
ures, nevertheless the fact stands out
that no course has ever been pursued
by small group Of people keeping
within the outer edge of the law, that
has attracted more widespread atten-
tion than picketing. The astute
women are fully aware Of the feeling
of resentment aroused by their pro-
cedure. But in private they will tell
you that "it makes everybody talk"
The women who picketed the White
House are able to make out pretty
strong case to show that there was no
greater agency towards the success
of suffrage than the row stirred up
by them and their banners. The Irish
sympathizers who are making nui-
sance Of themselves in front OF the
British embassy are merely copy-cats
Of the methods that made suffrage
famous and infamous.
There was a time-worked expression
to the effect that the gates Of Castle
Garden always swing inward = they
never swing outward" But this will
have to be revised since the Federal
immigration bureau shows that for the
year ending last November, the immi-
grant aliens numbered 220,193, and
that for the same period the emigrant
aliens were 246,557, representing an
actual decrease of the alien popula-
tion Of the country. at the present
time il Is estimated that approx
mately 10000 more immigrant aliens
are leaving these shores than there
are others coming here. Within the
last one hundred years more than
100000 actual immigrants came 20
our shores. The high water mark
was reached in 1907 when approx
mately 1,28O,O00 immigrants entered
our country.
Congress is struggling with the
problem of what to do along the
lines of immigration. But the question
appears to be settling itself since the
above figures must be taken as the
basis for our calculations. Federal
figures bear out the statement that
in the lines of industry where for-'
eign labor IS depended upon TO
large extent that the man-supply OF
the country Is short, and most indus
trial concerns apparently favor legis-
lation and national policy that will
serve as an encouragement to Euro
peans to settle permanently in the
United States. Agriculture has also
had its biggest growth as a result OF
foreign settlers. and just now farm
ing needs recruiting. The arguments
{hot iYty ierra tior
during the war were based largely
upon the belief that many foreigners
failed to assimilate with our national
life and become Americanized While
this was doubtless true to a large
extent, still the demonstration that
the war gave in regard to our ma
tional unity seems to be ample proof
that America is pretty well Ameri-
canized after all. even though the fig
ures given above show that one-third
of our entire population has come
from the immigrants Of hundred
years.
The farmers crops are OF little
value unless there are freight cars
to. carry them to the markets. The
manufacturer has to close his plant
IL he can't get cars to bring raw ma
terals to him and take his finished
products away. The freight car, in
fact, is one Of the most indispensable
things of everyday life. The aver
age man does not realize how import
ant and valuable thing a freight car
Is until he can't get something he
wants simply because there Is no
freight car to carry it.
The freight car situation this year
is pretty serious For several years,
because of war conditions. not enough
new freight cars have been built to