Evening star., 1924-08-24

Of arrival, are as good a. possible;
that Ellis Islands, all over the world,
are sanitary and otherwise hospi-
table that Italians leaving the coun-
try are headed for lands Of fair eco
nomic promise and where reunited
orally conditions are made somewhat
agreeable for the emigrant. As a
matter CT undoubted fact, Italy's emf
grafton policy has other and much
farther-reaching purposes. In the
first place, although she ts anxious
to export her surplus population, she
is also anxious to retain her emil
grants as Italian citizens. To that
end, there appears to be some vague
system of dual allegiance. such as
Germany used to maintain and as we
tanning in the case Of Japanse born
on American soil. At any rate, the
American Embassy in Rome from
time to time is called upon to in
tervene on behalf Of q naturalized
United States citizen, or even a ma
tiveborn American of nAturali1ed
Italian parentage. who, having ven
himself nabbed by the police for
Italian military service.
Italy has always maintained strict
quire special passports. Because Of
the extraordinarily limited number
now admissible to the United States,
that control will henoeforward be
more rigid than ever. This writer
learns in an authentic quarter that
the Italian authorities are undoubt-
edly going to favor, in the way OF
passport yisas for emigration to the
United States. those emigrants who
IL kft
subjects and not to become American
citizens This runs directly contrary
to the spirit. and even the letter, of
the new immigration laws, which rec
ommend preferential treatment for
emigrants who intend to become not
only residents but citizens Of the re-
public. The United States also de-
sires that preferential treatment be
extended to men or women who want
to join members Of their families who
may already be domiciled on Ameri-
can soil. Italy has some ideas Of her
own on that subject. too. While she
has q sentimental interest in helping
to unite Italian husbands and wives.
fathers and mothers, sisters and
brothers, Italy has a very keen eye
to the main chance. as far as emigra-
ton to the United States Is con-
cerned. She knows it is the land
where easy and much money is made.
She would like to send to that Ell
Dorado. where bricklayers and car
penters and plasterers get more
money than preachers and college
professors. young Italians who will
send liras back home in job lots. In
other words. one of the theories on
which Italian emigration policy is
based Is that surplus population may
be legitimately utilized as an article
of export, like fruit or any OF the
other excellent commodities Italy
sends and sells abroad, and thus be
one Of those invisible assets" like
tourist traffic, which SO materially
aid in redressing an adverse balance
of trade. .-.,..
Few Americans have any idea of
the vast sums Of money Italians in
the United States are continually
sending back to their native country.
and for years have been sending. The
total has been estimated At 2,000.-
600, 900 liras a year, or, figured at the
prevailing Sate of exchange, $780,
900. 900.
The numerous Italian banks scat
tered throughout the United States
maintain scores of collecting agen-
cies for the express purpose Of drum
ming up remittances for tho folks at
home. The Bank Of Naples officially
reported that during the first quar-
ter of the present year S0,363, 900
lfras-or at the rate of 321, ,452 900
liras-passed through its hands alone
from the United States to Italy. That
works out, for a single italian bank
operating in the United States, at
$14.465,340 per annum.
The writer has been reliably in
formed since his arrival in Rome that
400, 900 names of Italians anxious to
emigrate are today on file with the