﻿I. Introduction 



1. Subject-Matter 



The movement into the United States of more than thirty- 

 two millions of immigrants from almost every part of the world 

 from 1820 to the present time marks one of the most remarkable 

 migrations in history. These immigrants are divided into two 

 chief groups, depending on the time of their coming and the 

 chief countries from which they come: the Old Immigration, 

 consisting chiefly of immigrants from the countries of northern 

 and western Europe, coming to this country from 1820 to 1882: 

 and the New Immigration, consisting chiefly of immigrants from 

 southern a ad eastern Europe, coming to this country since 1882. 



Depending on the point of view, the immigrant is enthu- 

 siastically credited with the great industrial expansion of the 

 country; the improvement of labor conditions of the American 

 working-man, by strengthening the labor unions, a ad by fur- 

 nishing a substratum of common labor upon which has been 

 built a superstructure of supervisors, foremen, and skilled work- 

 men; the lessening of vice, crime, and poverty; and the addition 

 of physical and moral personal qualities of a nature to improve 

 our national type. With equal fervor the immigrant is con- 

 demned for lowering the standard of living of the working classes 

 in this countiy; for lowering wages; for increasing vice, crime, 

 and poverty; and for lowering our national physical and moral 

 standards. The same statistics are used with equal facility to 

 draw directly opposing conclusions. The real truth lies some- 

 where between these two points of view and must be sought in 

 careful, impartial studies of the immigrant as he lives in this 

 country. 



He has been studied as he lives in his home in his native 

 country, and the causes for his coming have been carefully 

 searched out. He has been traced from his home to his place of 

 embarkation, has been accompanied thru the indescribable steer- 

 age, has been landed at Ellis Island, has been passed thru the 

 ordeal of entrance — the hysterical fear of being turned back — , 

 and has been followed to his new home and established. These 

 processes are known, and. are now a matter of history, the study 

 of which has led to definite improvement. 



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