218 THE HIGH COST OF LIVING 



The experience of one man is immediately known 

 to others. The misfortune of one ahen is known 

 to the whole colony. The exploitation of a single 

 immigrant deters hundreds from venturing into 

 the country no matter what their hunger for land 

 may be. 



This is a subject that should receive immediate 

 congressional action. There is evidence that hun- 

 dreds of thousands, possibly millions, of foreigners 

 are planning to return to Europe when the war 

 is over. They are going back to Italy, Hungary, 

 Poland, Bohemia, and Russia. They will leave the 

 mines, the munitions factories, and the cities and 

 take with them the savings accumulated during this 

 period of prosperity. Many will undoubtedly re- 

 turn — although the great majority of them plan 

 to remain. And many of them are leaving America 

 because they desire to acquire a farm and beheve 

 that land will be cheap in Europe after the war. 

 Many of these aliens, possibly the majority, were 

 farmers in their old homes. Many of them would 

 acquire farms in this country if land could be se- 

 cured at a reasonable price and colonies could be 

 organized in which persons of the same nationality 

 could live together. For that is the kind of farm 

 life they have been accustomed to at home. But 

 only the government can promote such a project. 

 Only the government can organize colonies, insure 

 protection, cheap credit, and provide marketing 



