"Socialism, did not alter the fact that wealth comes by labor," she replied. "All these people work. We provide the opportunity for them, we train them to higher efficiency, especially the children. The very best and wisest of us are proud to serve there--as women used to be proud when they were invited 'to help receive' some personage. We receive Humanity--and introduce it to America. What they produce is used to cover the expense of their training, and also to lay up a surplus for themselves." "They must produce more than they used to," observed I drily. "They do," said Nellie. "You might as well finish this thing up," I said. "Then when people talk to me about immigration, I can look intelligent and say, 'I know about that.' And really, I'm interested. How do you begin with 'em?" "When they come into Jamaica Harbor they see a great crescent of white piers, each with its gate. We'll go and see it some day--splendid arches with figures on them, like the ones they used to put up for Triumphs. There's the German Gate and the Spanish Gate, the English Gate, the Italian Gate--and so on. There is welcome in their own language--and instruction in ours. There is physical examination--the most searching and thorough--microscopic--chemical. They have to come up to a certain standard before they are graduated, you see." "Graduated?" "Yes. We have a standard of citizenship now--an idea of what people ought to be and how to make them so. Dear me! To think that you don't know about that--" "I shouldn't think they'd stand for it--all this examination and so on." "No country on earth offers so much happiness to its people. Nowhere else--yet--is there as good opportunity to be helped up, to have real scientific care, real loving study and assistance! Everybody likes to be made the most of! Everybody--nearly--has the feeling that they might be something better if they had a chance! We give them the chance." "Then I should think you'd have all creation on your hands at once." "And depopulate the other nations? They had something to say about that! You see this worked all sorts of ways. In the first place, when we got all the worst and lowest people, that left an average of better ones at home--people who could learn more quickly. When we proved what good stuff human nature was, rightly treated, they all took heart of grace and began to improve their own. Then, as our superior attractions steadily drew off 'the lower classes,' that raised the value of those who remained. They were better paid, better thought of at home. As more and more people came to us, the other nations got rather alarmed, and began to establish counter attractions--to keep their folks at home. Also, many other nations had some better things than we did, you remember. And finally most people love their own country better than any other, no matter how good. No, the balance of population is not seriously altered."