Jewish immigrants tp the United States have exhibited the strongest tendency to remain here, according to a statement of Secretary of Labor James A. Davis. The statement is contained in “A Century of Immigration,” taken from the eleventh annual report of the Secretary of Labor and included in the January number of the Monthly Labor Review, published by the United States Department of Labor, as the leading feature article. During the sixteen year period from 1908 to 1923, there arrived in this country 9,949,740 immigrant aliens and 3,498,185 emigrant aliens left the United States, making 35 percent as many leaving as came, according to the report. “The Hebrews, above all other races,” says Secretary David “come to stay; only five percent as many left as came. The Chinese occupy the other extreme; 10,914 more left than came.”
During the sixteen year period there arrived in this country 958,642 Hebrews, as against 52,034 departing, a net gain of 906,608. The Irish are next lowest on the list with 432,668 immigrants and 46,211 emigrants or eleven percent. Welsh emigration was 13 percent; German, 18 percent, French 21 percent, English 21 percent, and Scandanavian, 22 percent.
In the 25 years from 1899 to 1923, according to the report, the number of immigrants to the United States was 16,929,187, of which number 1,787,866 or 10.6 percent were Hebrews. The largest racial group to come to the United States in this 25 year period was the Italians with 3,761,777 or 22.2 percent. The Germans are third highest on the list with 1,220,987 or 7.2 percent.
The largest Hebrew immigration during this period was in 1906, when 153,748 arrived in the United States, while the least number of immigrants, 3,055, came in 1919. The number of Hebrews debarred and deported has been comparatively small during the 25 year period, 1899 to 1923. The total number debarred and deported was 27,124 or 1.56 percent of the number admitted. Of this number 21,119 were debarred for physical, mental and moral reasons and 2,555 were debarred for all other reasons. The East Indians are highest on the list of debarred and deported aliens with a percentage of 48.66 and the Chinese are next with 22.41 percent. Seven racial groups stand lower on the list than the Hebrews, the Slovaks being lowest with 81 of one percent.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
