Speech #590030761

Such revelations as these justify the charge that the influence of the church is being subordinated to commercialism by these governments. In the countries from which these ministers. priests. and teachers come no one except a loyal citizen is allowed to practice these callings. foreigners are not. Encouraged by their great success in securing immigrants from AustriaHungary and the handsome revenue paid by the steamship companies. these agents and subagents have extended their field of operations in Servia. Montenegro. Bulgaria. and Macedonia. from which countries we have not had any immigration until very recently. These codintries have no emigration laws. Greece. which is practically without emigration laws. Is also a fruitful field for the operation of the steamship ticket agents. Strange to say we have a rigid law against the importation of contract labor. and but a few immigrants are refused admission because of that objection. A semiofficial organ of the Austrian Government makes the statement that threefifths of the emigrants who come from that country to the United States come under contract. adding: "God forbid that the American Government should read this." Commissioner Braun say that nearly all the immigrants from Servia. Montenegro. Bulgaria. Macedonia. Greece. and Syria come to this country under contract. It is boldly stated in Greece by the agent of the White Star Steamship Company that every emigrant coming from that country has his place secured in advance and starts to work the day he arrives . t his destination. Many of these are boys from 10 to 18 yea 1s of age. and are brought under contract to work and have their transportation paid. These are usually brought by their older compatriots. who have a monopoly on the bootblack stands in our large cities.