“In fact, gentlemen, the immense American countries are not so unhealthy as not to be able to offer a tranquil corner to our emigration. Not all lands are so controlled by speculation that some fertile lands could not be found at a good price, such as to assure a fair profit to the workers. It is all a question of pointing this out to our emigrants. But when was this ever done in Italy? Was the emigrant ever told that he should be on his guard against the various contracts and lands offered him and against the traps concealed in them? For example, are the lands unsafe, unhealthy, unproductive? Though fertile, are they so far away from any possible means of communication, so isolated from all human contact as to cause the produce of the emigrant’s labor to remain unsold, leaving him rich and poor at the same time? I repeat, when was this ever done in Italy? At most, some people do a little shouting, while others weep under the blows of events that offend national pride in the person of those brothers and sisters of ours. There are cries and expressions of compassion, even demands for some government measures. Then what? All is hushed up, all is forgotten, all calms down in the deceiving quiet of the wave that hides its victim and waits for new ones.” (Bl. Scalabrini)
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 08:00:00 +0000