White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-04-08
COMPETING WITH AMERICAN
LABOR.

Those large tuipioycio
who are behind the propaganda LOT
unlimited foreign immigration are
the ones who howl the loudest for a
high protective tariff to protect
American labor from being debased
by competition with the same for
eigners before they are imported into
this country. This Is the declara-
ton. in substance, of Congressman
Aswell in a notable speech in the
latter days of the late session ar
Washington.
In an elaborate manne the con-
gresham showed hat there is no
labor shortage in the United states,
The propaganda to the contrary not
w%ithstanding. Only last month, when
the propagandists were putting out
done declaring a labor shortage and
demanding a repeal of the immlgra-
ton restrictions instanter, Mr.. AS
well showed by reports OF the de-
partment of labor that there were
10000 idle miners IN the united
States and more than 100000 un-
employed workingmen. In Massa'
chusetts 1861 unions in the build
ing trades, skilled and unskilled,
with a membership of 21e,0oo' re-
ported 20 per cent OF the members
unemployed. OF manufacturing es-
Establishments in the state to the num-
Der of 214 10 per cent were working
full time and 81 per cent only part
time. In agricultural employment 1t
was shown by the mead of the state
department of agriculture that there
was no trouble whatever in secur-
ing plenty of help at any time, most
1y Americans.
One of the loudest plants has
come from the manufacturers Oh
New Haven, claiming a shortage OF
$500 laborers, but upon investiga-
ton it was shown that the employers
were offering but $3.50 to SEQ a
day. a rate under which men could
not live. hence the explanation or
an alleged shortage in that locality.
Had the New Haven employers been
willing to pay a living wage plenty
OF men would have gone over from
Boston on tho first train.
Farming interests are charged with
having joined in the appeal. Az
agent of the farm bureau organiza-
ton appeared before the house I'M
migration committee and voiced the
demand. Chairman Albert Johnson
asked him whether or not there had
been an overproduction, TO which he
replied that there had. Asked FUR
Their why in that condition OF things
more foreign labor was wanted he
answered to produce crops cheaper.
In other words, this agent wanted to
cure overproduction by producing
more cheaply.
The time long since has passed
when immigration appreciably affects
farm labor. The immigrants coming
during the last several years to the
extent Of ninety out of every hun
dred have gone to the cities and the
factory centers. They are from the
wrong countries to care for farm
work. most of the south Europeans
coming Mt this time being traders,
restaurant men, bootbiacks. BARRIERS
and the like. Their coming only
a%ggravates a bad situation, makes
the problem more complex and puts
further in the future the day OF It's
solution.
North European farm labor Is
wanted in Europe and there il is held
by the home demand and opportuni-
ties for remuneration equal IL not
superior to those offered in this
country. 1t will not come while this
is the fact.
The cure for stagnation OF the
farming business is to create mar
kets and provide cheaper transpor-
tation or restrict production. So
long as better pay is to be had for
city employment the trend of labor
will be in that direction, but give the
farmers a chance TO make a profit
and the trend will be the other way.
IL may not be in the shape so much
of men looking for work as of them
looking for opportunities to go into
the business for themselves in a
moderate way. When that day ar
riyes and that condition obtains 1t
will be better for tho country, pro
vided foreigners are kept out, every
square foot of land is not %appropri-
ated and the general layout Ia such
as to make this what 1t has previ-
ously had the reputation of being,
the land of opportunity.