Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-09
I wholly disapprove Of what you
say and will defend to the death your
right to say it.-voltaire.
IMMIGRATION AND WORK TO BE
DONE

DONE
There is much work which we all
wish to have done in this country.
Already there is some complaint
that 1t il difficult to get people to
do the work, that there aren't
ing that in some industries, that Of
mining soft coal for instance, there
are more engaged than can earn a
good living. good evidence that some
of the stringency in the labor market
might be relieved by readjustment
But, even so, there is likelihood of
labor stringcncy.
Under such conditions the expect
ed demand for workers is strainng
at the bars which have been put up
against immigration. Just now an
appeal is being made that there
should be taken into account the
number of a nationality going home
during the year, that the percentage
of admissions should be added to a
number equivalent to the number of
that nationality going home the
previous year. In the case of Italians
last year, had that policy been fol-
lowed there would have been admit
ted 1890 instead of 403l9. Such an
ARRANGEMENT as this would operate
in favor of the nationalitics that come
to this country for a brief term
rather than with a view to becoming
citizens. This would favor the i'm
migrants from southern Europe and
the year East in preference to Eng
lish, Irish. Germans or Norwegians;
in other words would encourage the
bringing in of a class of people we
would find it difficult to assimilate,
who would not wish to be assimilat-
ed, but who would come with a view
to employment in the lower grades
OF work where there is a scarcity
and which but for them may not be
done to the extent it should be.
Opposed to letting down the bars
are the labor unions, naturally, the
Americanism has about all it can
safely stand of this foreign dilution,
and which wishes it so that there
will be work in plenty for those who
were in the service. Then there are
the people who fear the result of
former methods under which we
were receiving thousands of undesir-
ables. who were being herdcd in con-
gestcd centers and being exploited,
1t Is fair to presume, in some degree
at least. The number of those who
have become convinced that a check
should be placed on immigration are
IN the large majority and they have
strong reasons to support their view.
But to revert to the beginning.
there is much work in this country
which should be done. If those of us
who consider ourselves Amercanized
prefer to be idle rather than to work
at honest employment which maybe
dirty or somewhat distasteful then
are we In bad way. A people in
that condition As a decadent people.
With regard to skilled labor it ap-
pears that much of what we get in
this country is from abroad, that we
In America are not developing skill
ed labor, which must have ample op-
portunity for apprenticeship and
must take an interest and pride
in the work without which real skill
may not be acquired.
How long are the people to tole-
rate such conditions? How long will
they permit those of the labor unions
who would restrict apprenticeship
below the genuine need to play the
part of dog in the manager: And Is
1T to be possible to so dignity and
rcmunerate the rough, dirty work,
which has to be done. as to make
1t inviting to Americanized people?
Unless vigorous, well directed eff
fort shall be made to do this We
will naturally turn to the other alter
native OF letting down the bars
one at a time of course, the usual
method adopted in such cases-and
our latter state of affairs will be
worse than the first.