Evening star., 1923-04-17
PRESIDENT SEES
LABOR SHORTAGE
Confirms Gary Statement of
Threatened Dearth in I'M
migration Curb.

President Harding was said at the
White House today to believe that
E. H. Gary, chairman of the board of
| the United States Steel Corporation.
was quite correct in his statement
made to the corporations stockhold-
ers yesterday that a serious labor
shortage was threatened through the
operations of the restrictive immi-
grafton law.
Secretary Davis presented to the
President a report compiled by his
department showing that a shortage
already exists in some of the trades
calling for skilled labor. The report
indicated further that the shortage
was being felt especially in the steel
industry.
Working ON New Bill.
Secretary Davis has been at work for
several weeks on a new immigration
bill. but White House officials said
they were unable to say whether pro-
vision was to be made in 1t for al
lowing skilled laborers to come in
to the country in excess Of quota
limits in case OF labor shortage.
In his report to the President, Sec
retary Davis said that despite the
ldDOT SITUATION ne DclieFcu lHdI
throwing open the gates of immigra-
ton and flooding the country with
workers and non-workers at the
present time would serve to bring
prosperity to an end"
Increases in the basic industries. he
added, have ranged from 2 to 20 per
cent, and recently the larger steel
plants granted general wage in
creases of IL per cent. which, he pre-
dicted. undoubtedly will be applied
throughout the industry. AS these
conditions. he declared. presented a
contrast to the situation when the 8
per cent restriction on immigration
was decided upon. it Is inevitable
that there should be agitation among
some for the lifting Of immigration
restrictions"
immigration restriction. the Sec
retary held, was one of the measures
which stopped the industrial panic.
To-day unemployment has been re-
duced to a minimum" the report
said: wages everywhere are rising.
During the past year. even during
the past few months. there have been
wage increases in practically all Of
the forty three industries reporting
to the bureau of labor statistics"
short-sishted Policy.
TT is a short-sighted policy" Mr..
Davis continued, ito seek cheap labor
through immigration. Today, be-
cause of the demand for workers,
there Is a perceptible movement Of
common labor of a low grade from
a contiguous country. Large groups
Of this nationality are finding their
way into our mills and factories. I
have talked with employers who
have taken on these men, and in
every case they admit that an up
standing American workman would
do two and one-half times the work
that is accomplished by the indi-
vidual of this radical group.
That being SO. 1t Is quite apparent
that 1t Is cheaper to pay an Ameri-
can worker twice the wages which
the foreigners receive It has been
my experience since the days when
labor Is expensive labor. both for the
industry which employs 1t and for
the community which houses it."
No Adequate Shortage.
Pointing out that American immi-
grafton laws In the past, while not
adequately protecting America, were
soundly based on the principle that
but two races. the Caucasian and
in this country. Secretary Davis said
that I'VE should absolutely bar from
our shores all races which are not
naturalizable' under the law and all
individuals Of all races who are
physically, mentally. morally and
spiritually undesirable. and those
constituting a menace to our civiliza-
ton.
Should Be Drawn by Americana.
"It seems to me- he concluded,
"that the immigration laws Of the
future should be wholly American.
drawn by Americans, enforced by
Americans for the benefit OF America
today and in the future. This is due
to the native-born citizens and to
those immigrats who have, and who
no doubt, will continue to come to
contribute to this country's industry
and commerce. ! am firm in the con-
viction that we should welcome to
our country only those who come here
ready to make their homes among US,
to cast their lots with us for better
or for worse to support American in
stitutions, and above all to take their
place in that family life which, after
all. 10 the basis Of all social order"