Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/46

Rh Types of Aliens Awaiting Admission at Ellis Island Station

Mr Sargent discusses at considerable length the rate war between the steamship lines. As the rate war has been confined to English ports, the effect has been most noticeable in that country. Its effect upon the United States, though in the main undesirable, has in some respects been beneficial. It has resulted in an exodus of domestic and agricultural labor from Great Britain, which is viewed with alarm by the people of that country. These classes of emigrants come here with the avowed intention of following their regular occupations, which are certainly not overcrowded in America. The rate war is also responsible, in connection with the war between Russia and Japan, for a marked improvement in the physical appearance of the Russians emigrating to America. Large numbers of young men from Russia, between 18 and 30 years of age, leave the German ports on every vessel departing for the United States. The full steerage rates have been maintained up to the present time from the German ports; hence the vast movement from central and northern Europe which seeks an outlet there has not been given any stimulus by decreased fares; but for the fact that the German emigration laws prohibit indirect emigration, a large number of trans-German passengers would have gone to England to take advantage of the cut rate from English ports. The possible evil effects of cheap rates for emigrant traffic are recognized in