THE CAUSES OF IMMIGRATION II
throughout the entire course of our history have come
to this country influenced primarily by the economic
motive. Even with the Palatines and the Scotch-Irish,
the economic motive was often prominent.
In the past a very large number of Russian Jews
were refugees from persecution. A much smaller
number of Finns, thwarted by the old Russian Govern
ment in their attempts to secure or maintain political
freedom, were moved to turn their backs upon their
own country. From Roumania, Turkey and other
parts of southeastern Europe and Asia have come
other immigrants, such as the Armenians, who, suf
fering on account of their religious or political beliefs,
preferred to leave their home country for one which
they believed would afford them freedom. In many
instances, doubtless, these people are political idealists,
or religious extremists, whose views will scarcely meet
with approval in this country, but who nevertheless
will be much freer here to make political propaganda,
and whose views in many instances may well have an
e ducative influence; but there doubtless remain, when
they are taken individually, many persons who are
really in need of escape from persecution, either relig
ious or political, that is genuine and severe.
At Present, Motive Primarily Economic
Taking them, however, in the mass and comparing
this number with the very much greater number of
those who are influenced by the economic motive, it
is scarcely too much to say that at the present time the
influence which is bringing so large a number of immi
grants is the economic motive rather than any other.
Chaotic conditions in Europe, especially in Russia,
have brought millions face to face with starvation.