The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-07
MILLIONS PLAN ID
 QUIT OLDENGLAND
Australia to Get First Immi- grants on Account of Over
 crowded Condition
Ny k. WALTER tReciprocal News Servicc.)


 London, Sept 6-Several million people must migrate from England within the next few years, accord ing to statisticians in order to meet without a catastrophe the social and industrial conditions which at pres ent seem inevitable. The necessary m grafton may amount to as much as 10,0o0,000, during the next 10 urely upon the fluctuations of Eng lands foreign trade. Any unfore- seen large increase in export trade would considerably raise the number of persons able to find economic support for themselves in England. But at the present low rate of ex- ports as compared with imports many millions will have to quit Eng land or starve under present social conditions.
 The subject Is seriously engaging the minds of British statesmen, al- though not much is being said about 1t in public as nobody cares to sug sest even a doubt that England will be able to regain the advantageous position in world-commerce which made her such a prosperous manu- featuring country during the nine- teenth century. Some of the British statesmen overseas recognize the problem which faces the British people as a whole and are anxious to come to the aid of the old country and at the same time benefit their own dominion.
 As Example
 Sir Joseph Carruthers the former remier of New South Wales, for ex- ample, is promoting an important scheme for the settlement of 1,000, 900 British immigrants on Crown lands in Australia. His plan Is re- ceiving hearty support at home, and is expected to be welcomed by the authorities here, as well as by thou sands of people in this country whose lives are overshadowed by the of unemployment or the constant dread of it.
 On the whole, Australia is re- garded here as the most desirable country for emigration. It is be- lieved to offer just as good opportu- mites as Canada, and with fewer climatic hardships. New Zealand is scarcely less popular, Canada and South Australia rank about equally in the minds of possible emigrants. It is comparatively rare to hear of emigration to the United States, 1t IS being discouraged by the Amer jean authorities and in other ways One hears of cases of men who have friends or relations in the united States getting their passports ana steamship tickets and then being told in a formal note from the American consulate that they are Undesirable aliens" I know of one such case in which there was noth- ing whatever personally "undesir- able" either in health or otherwise about the young man; so presum- ably it fs the routine method though scarcely a courteous one, or likely to popularize America and things American among the britisn working classes, for keeping down the number of emigrants under the new emigration act.
 Prefer British Countries
 But even without such difficulties in the way of emigration to the United States, there is an almost universal preference for emigration to British countris. For one thing, a great deal has lately been heard of unemployment in the United States, and the general impression ns that the fabulous land of opportu- nity is mot what 1t used to be-
 The dominion scheme for facilitat- ing emigration, if adopted on the plan which Sir Joseph Carruthers IS promoting in Australia, will De con nected with the building of new rall- ways which would make rich ldie lands accessible, and great ensi- neering projects of frrigauon' Where this is necessary. It is also proposed that each dominion government, Tn CO operation with the British gov ernment, should raise fund sufn- cient for the transportation of fam- flies to their new homes and to pro. vide them with enough capital to put them immediately on seit-sup- porting basis.