Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-13
IMMIGRATION
PROBLEMS ARE
LOOMING UP
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.


law at the approaching session
VIII it be made more difficult for
foreigners to enter the land of
the free and the home of prohibi-
ton, or will existing restrictions
be 50 modified as to bring in a
larger and steadier supply of the
labor that is needed in certain
industries.
These are questions of wide
spread interest and importance
concerning which much will be
heard when the national law
making body is back on the job.
That there will be numerous new
immigration measures proposed is
a foregOne conclusion, and at
this time it is evident that their
fate will not be determined with
out a memorable fight.
Certain interests want immi-
grafton made easier. First of all
there are the foreigners them
selves who are anxious to get
away from distressing conditions
in their native countries and es-
tablish themselves in the new
world of opportunity and peace.
Second, there are the steamship
companies that find a great
source of revenue in carrying i'm
migrants to these shores. They
would find it greatly to their ad-
vantage if the limitations imposed
by the present law were removed
or so changed that practically
every foreigner who could pass
the mental and physical tests
would be assured of a welcome
when he approached the Statue of
Liberty.
Various industries in the Unit
ed States are also interested in
moro liebral immigration regula-
tions. Notable among them is the
steel industry which is being
seriously handicapped by a short
age of common labor.
The turnover among the un-
skilled workers employed in the
steel mills has always been ex-
ceptionally large. It is the sort
of a job that man does not
stick at very long after he can
find another at equally as good
or even approximately as good
wages. The hours are long and
the work is gruelling, involving
perhaps the greatest physical
strain necessitated in any kind
Of labor.
Europe a Reservoir.
For years Europe was a reser-
voir which supplied a steady
stream of this common labor for
the steel industry of the United
States. There were practically
no restrictions upon immigration
and the immigrants from the Old
World were accustomed to ardu-
Gus toll that earned them but a
bare existence. They found that
they could go into the steel mills
Immediately upon their arrival
that their ignorance of our
language or of the work was lit
tie or no handicap to them, and
that they could earn wages that
were to them almost unbelievably
large. They welcomed the
In time this stream of foreign
labor was checked by immigra-
tion laws and then came the
world war, which cut it off en-
tirely After the war it was as
If the dam forming the reservoir
had burst and there was a pros
pect of this Country's being over
run with cheap European labor.
This led to the more drastic law
limiting the number of immi-
grants who may come from any
one country to the United States
in one year to per cent of the
foreign born of that nationality
resident in this country in 1910.
Under the strict enforcement of
that law the number of foreign
ers given the glad hand by Uncle
Sam dropped from 100000 to
something under 100000 in the
course of one twelve-month. and
almost Immediately the steel in
dustry encountered difficulties in
securing q normal supply of COM
mon labor.
When wages of steel workers
were voluntarily raised just Mt
the time wages in other indus
tries were generally being re-
duced and when the railroad labor
board was slashing the pay of
railway employees there were
many expressions OF surprise and
not n few of criticism. Employers
in other lines who subscribed 10
the idea that labor must be de-
flated felt that the controlling
factors in the steel industry were
the applicant.
How can we get wages back to
nj ~ fhnXy ocI-n1
people grant increases that are
not even demanded nf them 2"
The truth Of the situation was
that the steel Interests were bid
ding for labor which they had to
have. American born workers
will not take those jobs at wage
rates which they can command
the foreigners already
here move steadily from the
steel mills to other industries. and
the reduced labor supply frcm
Europe will not meet the de-
mand.
Situation Actually Acute.
Only few days ago it was re-
ported from Pittsburgh that an
other increase of 10 per cent
" A'N Nv SlNVil NollllilOlt ldDOIs
So acute was the situation re-
5ulting from the shortage of this
class Of workers 1t was stated that
mills were operating at only ISL
per cent capacity when they
would be working at 90 per cent
u sufficient labor could be OBJ
aimed.
In view of all this it is an
parent that congress will be
with demands to ease up
on immigration restrictions.
On the other hand, it has been
nadeN equally clear that all such
proposals will be opposed vigor-
ously. Labor leaders are girding
themselves for the fight and rally
ng their forces for an onslaught
IN congress such as gives prom
Sc of a lively winter.
President Gompers, of the
Federation Of Labor, in
What he termed "a' bugle call TO
luty," has served notice of the
intentions of the inter-
,sts he represents. He undertook
o speak for American labor when |
le said that If congress rives 1vav