AMERICA TO-DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 March 1931, Page 2

AMERICA TO-DAY

IMMIGRATION QUESTION. TURN FOR BETTER. AN OBSERVER’S COMMENT. Sidelights on America’s experience with immigration, unemployment, and prohibition were given in an interview at Wellington by Air Francis H, .Uarkoc, of New York, who arrived by the Monowni on his way to Australia. When Mr Mnrkoe left the United .States people were beginning to speak of brighter things, and it seemed that building orders previous’y cancelled on account of the depression, were being renewed. “It is a pretty good test," Mr Mnrkoe said. Although lie introduced himself as a traveller and a writer—with more travelling than writing—he admitted subsequently with n smile that there was some truth in the statement that be was a New York"financier, accompanied by his secretary, Mr W. Gnynor, Ho spends three months each year in New Yoik, which he makes his headquarters, but for the remainder if the time he travels in most countries of tho world. He will continue his journey to Australia and, will leave there for Java, and Manila in about a fortnight, and will arrive at Shanghai in time for the races vn -May,

BREAD LINES IN CITIES Mr Mnrkoe was o member of ope of the unemployment committees in New York when the unemployment position reached its peak in November last. In this way lie was in direct contact with existing conditions and knew for a fact that tip. municipal lodginghouses and emergency lodging-houses available for sheltering unemp’oyed never ran up to within a thousand of their capacity. Jn addition to this an investigation of the bread-lines showed that 78 per cent, of those wlio watted their turn came from places outside New York. The majority, in fact, of the people in bread-lines came from smaller towns and rural district outside the metropoii an o White collar worker, amv pi.Jiably the worst hit, said Mr Marker. I hoy were more than ordinary handicapped welin the blow fell, and it was certain that their families went through a good deal—much more comparatively than was the case with those of less skilled employees. It was the man with a small banking account and small capital who suffered most, not the labourers. Referring to the proposed immigrat-

ion measures, Mr Markoe said that they had been expected for some time particularly as unemployment was intensifying the situation, With America the trouble had been the “wild, strange Latvians,” and others from most qf the countries of the world, had gained entrance too easily, South' era Italian immigration had given the country a good deal that it wits not longing ffir, because Italy gave America- most of tliOße she did not want herself, It was unfortunate that South America got all th e best ot Italy, and North America the rest. "The largest part of the Tuscan immigration goes to South America,” said My Markon, GREAT FORCES IN CHINA.

Like any other American or English man, be continued, he was interested in trying to see the systems of Govvernment in th evarimis British and American colonies, alwnys wit an eye to the future. The question of what the racial “line-up” was going to be particularly with China on the map, provided him with plenty to think about. He bad been tremendously impressed with China last year. It was like the earth, significantly fertile, just before the young crops broke through the surface. There wer 0 terrific forces at work in China, and they were not, be thought, allying themselves with Russia. Tho Chinese, as they progressed, would adopt those parts of the Russian system suitable to their own spirit. Generally speaking* it was certain that there could be no real Asiatic power, on this side of the continent, except China.

The beauty of the small marching armies in China to-day was that they were bringing unity of language. Hith erto, Chinese from one part of the Empire could almost be foreigners to those from other parts. They spoke a different tongue. Only Chinese of the highest caste, coming from widely-spread parts could understand each other. But now that the official orders to armies were given in a simplified form of Mandarin, the effect was that throughout Chine tins simplified and official tongue was being spoken by soldiers. From talk of China. Mr Markoe was remained of his keen wish to see Russia from the inside. But he was convinced that if oie' wa nt. <1 to «ee Russia in tiie correct light one would have to be prepared for seme inconvenience. What happened in European , Russia field only scant interest for him. Siberia, or Asiatic Russia, was the place that counted, and he felt that the future loaders of the nation would come from that region. Travelling ,at present round the smaller European countries, one found it increasingly difficult to look seriously at their squabbles and relations he said. The world was dealing now I with far larger tilings, and it was only a big empire such as the British Empire that had real power and real world significance.

STOCK MARKET ST/JMP PASSING. Just bet'ore lie left AtncrTea, people were beginning to say that the worst of the stock - market slump was over. Architects told him that a good many who had previously cancelled their orders were beginning to renew them. This was a fairly good test. Building costs had been down about 20 per cent during the slump, and certain Investors had taken advantage of this, which was the first time such costs haVA fa'■'7'on. Tim trade of course, was one of the most inflated of ail. However, people were saving that tilings were beginning to look lip.