Greenwood daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1919-1926, 1920-05-06
ALIENS Leave
BY WHOLESALE
6,O0O Are Sailing Weekly for
Europe Where Dollar
Is Potent.
CAUSE OF LABOR SHORTAGE
Difficulties Of I raveIing in Europe and
Danger Of Losing Their Money Has
No influence on Aliens Eager
to Return.

New York.-Wholesale re-emigration
of aliens in America began last April
and is continuing in ever growing
numbers. Steamship ticket agents
agree that 6.OOO are leaving for Europe
weekly, although the immigration is
confined to Italians and Belgians.
I have been in contact with a great
number of alien laborers in the United
States since my return from Europe in
January and I find that a great per-
centage Of them are preparing to leave
the states, writes Joseph Szebenyei in
the New York Times. Among the Hun
garians and those coming from the
newly formed states in eastern Eu-
rope, so per cent are about to return
to the old country.
The resultant labor shortage espe-
cially is being felt already, and en-
ployers Of alien labor are forced to
advertise continually in order to re-
place the hands leaving week after
week. They are spending thousands
of dollars. on advertisements in SlOvak
and Hungarian papers. Mining COM
panies especially prefer Hungarian
workers because they are steady and
hard workers, doing jobs no others
would do, and earning in most cases
up to $12O a week.
Causes of Re-Emigration.
The causes of the "7holesale re-
emigration may be found in the follow
ing facts:
l.. Alien 1aborers have saved up mon
ey during the war. when they were
| barred from sending it home, and, &C.
cording to bankers dealing exclusively
with them, they have an average Of
$4,000. If we take what a dollar is
worth in eastern Europe, it is easy
to comprehend that the worker *
changing his dollars into kronen be-
comes the richest man in his village,
a lure very few could withstand. For
kronen, enough to buy out the richest
landlord in his district.
2. Prohibition.
8. The laborer has not see his fam
lily, many have not even heard from
them, for SIX to ten years..
4. The high cost Of living in America.
Geza D. Berko, managing editor of
the Hungarian Daily, who has his fin
ger on the alien movements in Amer
lea more than any one else, when
questioned on the subject said:
"The re-emigration is slow because
there is not sufficient shipping. Their
are only five steamers weekly avail.
able for eastern Europe at present
and yet 5000 are leaving by them
Should the sailing facilities improve
and the passport question be simpli
fed, it will grow by leaps and bounds
Cannot Be Dissuaded.
The anager of Emil Kiss banking
house, the largest ticket agents on tn
east side, said that they were discour
aging re-emigration as much as pos
sible. and explained to applicants tn
difficulties of travelling in Europe, tn
danger of their losing their kits ant
money on the way.
yet it is impossible to persuad
them to stay" the clerks assert
There are letters from former travel
ers who say that they have been cheat
ed and robbed of their possessions
arrived home stripped Of everything
yet you can't induce them to stay"
"Do you discourage exchange of do
lars as well2' I asked.
w do, but the constant fall in tn
exchange makes it difficult. By tn
time the man arrives home he get
more for his dollars, so he prefers tai
ing it in cash, as most of them ar
ignorant people who mistrust draft!
Now, in travelling through Europe tn
victim-for you can't call him by an
other name-encounters laws in e,
cry country prohibiting the export
dollars. If he lands in France hi
money is exchanged into francs, ]
Germany into marks, in Austria
Jugoslavia into kronen, being 10
more per cent everywhere"
Some OF the re-emigrants trav'
through five countries and thus los
SO per cent of their money on force
d exchange. In France there r eve
graver difficulties, for even the expo
of French money to exceed 1,O(
francs is prohibited. The traveller mu'
n get a state permit, a procedure takir
sometimes weeks. The whole Of e.
rope is hungry for dollars.
Shun Powder, Says Photographer.
Atlantic City. N Twill n. Towl,