Speech #620137286

That matter was fully investigated by the commission. It troubled the Seiate Committee on Immigration very much at the time the report was circulated. and it was investigated by this commission with this result: There was an effort made on the part of the Government of AustriaHungary to establish a steamship line between Trieste and the United States. a fortnightly line. They gave a subsidy to the steamship company assuming the undertaking. and one feature of the contract was that if the amount received from steerage passengers fell below a certain sum the Government was to make good that sum as a part of the subsidy. But. on the other hand. the commission found that the Government was very much opposed to emigration of Hungarian subjects and that the contract was not entered into with the purpose to encourage emigration from that country. I may say. and I say it in justice to the Government of Hungary. that they are just as anxious to develop the industrial possibilities of that country as Germany has been to develop hers. and they are inclined to discourage the emigration of Hungarians to this country. They prefer to have them remain at home and engage in the development of their own country. That is a fact which is thoroughly fixed in my mind. I have it upon authority which I can not doubt. nor have I any doubt today that an agreement can be made under the authority bf the act of 1907 between the Governments of the United States and Hungary by which the immigration from that country will be very much limited. Other European nations are entertaining similar views. Italy. for instance. formerly encouraged emigration and was glad to have America receive a large number of south Italians. but I found upon visiting Italy in 1907 that conditions had changed because of the large number who had emigrated to the United States. The exodus from southern Italy had increased the price of farm labor from 25 cents a day to 40 cents and. in some instances. to 50 cents a day. So that even Italy has ceased to encourage her people to emigrate to the United States. Italy has been very much enriched by the money that has come from the United States both through her immigrant class and through tourists who visit Italy from America. I had not intended in this connection to speak of that element in immigration known as the criminal class. but I might just as well say now what I have in mind about that class. I do not think the educational test I am now advocating will help us a particle to keep out the criminal classes because the criminal classes can read and write. They come from the cities rather than from the country districts and from all parts of Europe. and almost invariably are more or less educated. But there is a way of reaching that difficulty. I think it can be done through an international agreement. by the appointment of a commission under the provisions of the immigration act of 1907. or through our diplomatic corps. The matter has been under consideration by our Government. and from what I know of the situation I can not doubt that that can be done. It can b-. done for this reason.