The New York herald., 1922-11-26
FELT BY FARMERS TOO
The Industrial Conference
Board Sees Need for Radi-
cal Change in Law.
SKILLED WORKERS COME
Large Percentage of Women
and Children Also in Those
Arriving Here.

-
Industry in the United States is
. faced with the problem of labor
shortage. according to information just
gathered by the National Industrial
Conference Board, 10 East Thirty
ninth street. 9ne ~of the principal
causes is that the new immigration
restrictions have resulted in a net loss
of 67,332 laborers Ia the one year Of
the laws operation. That is to say,
emigration of laborers exceeded immi-
grafton of labo-ers by that number.
Applying that loss TO the labor supply
of American manufacturing industry
nc boards figures show net loss of
1888 workers, the remainder being
distributed among Other lines of en-
deavor.
The foregoing figures do not mean
that the total emigration has exceeded
the total immigration under the new
law, but they mean that the immi-
grants of a character available for
labor are smaller in number than
those emigrants who had been en-
ployed here.
A Tremendous percentage of the i'm
migration has consisted of women and
= children, whose passage~to this coun-
try usuallyshas been financed by rela-
tives here. There was a net increase
of 110S44 in immigration over emigra-
ton, but of that number 104,326 were
women and only 6,5fS were men.
Effect ON Country's Labor.
Further need for a change In the law
that will help to relieve this situation
is seen by the board in the steady de-
cline in the last fifty years in Che avail
ability of the normal increase in our
native population for the growing needs
of Industry.
The board points out that business
and Industrial leaders are agitating for
a lifting of the immigration bars.
In the iron and steel industry espe-
cially such leaders as Il. II. Gary of the
United states Steel Corporation and
President Il. G.. Grace of the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation are inclined TO favor
an increase in immigration or at least an
improved selection of arrivals. The iron
and steel industry is expected to ask at
least that the 3 per cent. limitation be
made net limitation, taking into nc
count the number of emigrants which
has been so large during the first year
of the acts operation that it's main pur-
pose may be said to have been upset.
This industry feels that the 3 per
cent limitation operated actually to de-
crease the available number of common
laboreys. Other industries are also
affected and have been led to a similar
point of view Non the present act.
Even certain farmers representatives
maintain that the dearth of labor is
holding UP the reclamation of land in
the West. forcing up the wages Of farm
labor and decreasing the purchasing
power of the farmers dollars Organized
lybor, of course. and some Protestant
church bodies are opposed 20 an en-
1argement of the present quotas.
Analysis of Imm igrant Figures.
An analysis OF immigration statistics
by the National Industrial Conference
Board for the first complete fiscal year
of the present restriction law shows
clearly some facts OF the law In relation
TO American industry.
Immigrant aliens admitted during the
fiscal year Of 1920. preceding the present
law, numbered S05,22s, while PATHS
immigrant aliens departed. leaving a net
increase Oh population py
OF $3.50 persons. In the first fiscal
year of the laws operation. July /
1921 to June 80, 1922. the number of i'm
migrant aliens admitted was 30355S
and the number leaving, 1871 making
a'net increase of population by mmigra.
tion of only 1854. or less than one.
fifth the gain i'm the preceding year.
OF this 110,s44 net increase 104.32e
were women and only 6.5ls men. TAX
ing both Immigrant and non-immigrant
aliens admitted and departed, this first
fiscal year shows net loss of II, ,6S7
males to the country.
Tho largest net immigration was OF
English. French. German, Hebrew. irish
Mexican, Scandinavian and Scotch
d peoples in short, Of the races from
WHICH the skilled rather than the COM
mon labor of American industry has
been recruited. or the Hebrews, who
are chiefly traders, clerks. &c, 53,524
entered, while only $50 left.
Races That showed Loss.
. or the following races the number de.
Parting exceeded the number admitted
Bohemians and Czechs. Bulgarians, Ser.
hians Chinese, Crostians. Sovenians
Dalmatians. Bosnians Herzegovinians
Greeks, Italians, Lithuanians. Magyars
Poles, Portuguese. Rumanians Russians
Spaniards Syrians and Turks. Against
the 4f,154 Italians admitted. 54,0I0 left
the country. and only 6.357 Poles entered
while $1,000 left. The latter races have
hitherto supplied the bulk of the common
Ia Dor for American industry.
There was net increase of 7.642 o'
the professional class. 1915 skilled
workers 39.309 servants and 76.10s OF M
occupation. including women and chill.
dren, while there was a net loss OF 67..
932 classed as laborers. About 1.0oC
moro workers classed as skilled miner:
left the country than entered IT, but th,
country gained 10.f79 immigrant'
classed as farmers and farm laborers
Therefore the immigration for the frs
fiscal year OF the new laws orratior
represents net loss OF 30.s33 workers.
Under the law 355,S25 immigrant
aliens we're admissible during tho first
fiscal year but only 309,556 entered the
country. The numbers entering from
Austria. Denmark, Finland Germany
Norway Russia. Sweden and the United
Kingdom fell far short of the quotas ad-
missble, while in the case of Rumanis
tho eauota was exceeded. For tho com
ing fiscal year 357.S03 are admissible
but Il is likely that, as in the previous
yenr.this quota will not be filled
I. n. IAA not aal