December, 1!)H
with its present blend and varied ingrediences, ail|
conforming to this essentiality today.
Aliens who have flooded us the last thirty year,
and still trickling in in a goodly number, whatevt g
their merits, are habited to desire government but n<
self-government, besides, they are habited to resoiB
UNRESTRICTED IMMIGRATION A MENACE TO to violence, either to express their dissatisfaction H
AMERICA
to attain their desires. Some aliens are habited bot B
1A7HAT STEPS Congress will take in regard to the ways. Is this the day for opening our gates wide ar, I
* immigration question is apparently now very let compassion sway our reason in favor of permittiiB
uncertain. The Dillingham three per cent restriction soviet-minded immigrants, shipload after shipload
law, first inacted and made effective on the 29th of thousands upon thousands, be landed upon the AmeflB
May, 1921, for the duration of one year, and re ican shores and fused with our people?
Americans who are true to their trust will eiM
enacted last spring for a two-year period, more
specifically to July, 1924, is- now subjected to a bar phatically answer NO!
rage fire from the alien and capitalistic interests of
America which bids fair to abolish the law and REDUCTION IN ATLANTIC PASSENGER RATE |
open the gates wide for the millions of Europe 'T' HAT THE “See America First” campaign, iH
headed our way. Thus, if these interests gain their 1 augurated in this country during the war, 1
point, we shall have millions coming here very shortly create a desire on the part of Americans to spei I
to dilute that much further the American psychos some of their leisure time (formerly spent in tourin |
upon which our capacity for self-government entirely the European countries) viewing the scenic panoran I
depends.
and the beauty of America first, has had effect, ms B
A well-known Frenchman, H. Taine, recently as be seen in the report from the conference of tl B
serted that the Anglo-Saxons are the one race in all North Atlantic Steamship Companies which jui B
the tides of time who have succeeded in governing closed its session at Brussels. A news item fro B
themselves. In view of the fact that ninety per cent Brussels, carefully worded reads:
of the immigration headed our way is of other than
Although the proceedings were secret, it is. known th
the Anglo-Saxon race, it behooves Americans who are lower
fares were adopted in the hope of stimulating Americ 1
anxious that American institutions shall continue for tourist travel to Europe which showed a considerable declii ■
last
season.
the benefit of their children who will dwell in this
land, to conserve the capacity of our people to govern
Agents of the steamship lines in America predi ■
themselves.
that sharp reductions will soon take effect in tl B
The United States has achieved self-government by first and second class passenger rates, particular B
virtue of the fact that the American people have been on the lines of the North Atlantic Steamship Coi fl
predominantly Anglo-Saxon. That predominance is panies.
imperiled. The danger point has been reached and
The rates in the third class, where mostly imirlj
over-reached. Not only is the blood too much diluted, grants travel, are proportionately as high as tl I
but also the habit of mind, the temperament, which first and second class, but immigrant travel canmB
has been extended to millions of other races, is being be stimulated that way, that’s why the companil B
vitiated. We are contracting by force of alim num are not lowering the fares in the third class. iB
bers and by contagion from alien psychosis, another stimulate the travel in the third class the steamshi 1
mental habit, one essentially incompatible with self- companies, through their organization, the Inte B
government and American standard in general.
Racial Council, are centering their forces at Was' i
The essence of capacity for self-government, the ington to secure congressional enactment of an opt B
irreducible minimum, so to speak, will not flow into door immigration policy. If they have their way ai B
America on the waves of this new immigrant flood can secure a removal of all restriction bars, tl B
that is threatening. This capacity lies in our ability steamship companies are not exceedingly worrit B
to carry on orderly discussion, to political process, as about the rates governing in the third class, the B
distinguished from propensity to violence, to appeal would in that event have no trouble in securing 1
to force. A people who aspire to govern themselves capacity human cargo in the third class to ferry oilB
must first and last evince self-restraint, must display way across the Atlantic, from Europe to Americ 1
inveterate habit of settling differences and determin and besides having all their available tonnage so efl
ing policies by resort to assembly, to discussion, to gaged for the next ten years or more.
the ballot. Such a people must be committed irre
As an inducement, the lowering of the first ai B
trievably to the. institutional ways. Its minorities, second class fares may to some extent stimula B
howsoever hopeful of becoming majorities, must ac travel to Europe, but Europe today holds infinite B
cept majority decisions and conform to prevailing less interest to the traveling public of America thi I
usage. There is only in rare instances such training it did before the war. The reasons are, first: becaui B
of thought among the immigrants who are headed for the Americans have found more comfort and pleasu B
America.
from their travel in America than they former B
It must be left to the thoughtful judgment of indi found in Europe, whether traveling by rail or by aut( fl
vidual American citizens to what degree our people, mobile; second: because most of the European corn 1
18
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
EDITORIAL