The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip., December 01, 1922, Page 7, Image 7

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debarred. These figures are not quite complete for
the full year.
Revival of immigration on a large scale from Ger­
many is indicated in the more recent months. Over
16,000 came from Germany during eleven months,
with a steadily increasing number, so Germany seems
likely to send in her full quota of 68,000 this year.
That country is entitled to a larger quota than any
other except the United Kingdom, including Ireland.
On the other hand it is noted that only 3900 came
from Austria out of a possible 7400. This is at­
tributed to the extreme poverty of Austria, only a
few of those who wanted to come, presumably, hav­
ing enough money to make the trip.
Italy contributed the largest number of any coun­
try, over 42,000, her full quota. Jugoslavia, Czecho­
slovakia and Poland sent practically all that could be
admitted, but Great Britain and Ireland recorded only
36,000, less than half of the 77,000 which may be ad­
mitted. The immigration from the Scandinavian
countries was likewise a great deal below the quota
THE WESTERN AMERICAN
)oiiow ’where to turn for the best possible people available to
11 that need.
bi Here is where those cheap Americans who demand
Wreign labor so cheap that it is dear at any price,
atave found a ready and willing representative of their
eniew®. Shoulder to shoulder with the Atlantic steam-
-sjlip men, and the racial groups (the least blame­
worthy of all the enemies of immigration restriction)
isnese “Americans” are now turning their guns on
teiongress to batter down the restriction bars, using
ene ‘Refugee appeal” of the Greeks and the “scarcity
if labor that exists or might arise in our essential
industries” as a plea to remove all legislative restric-
1 on, prefering that the matter be left in the hands of
.se commission friendly to the immigration interests,
y aving absolute authority and jurisdiction in the mat-
nd;r ofjimmigration regulation.
res aB
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At the end of the first year of the three per cent
mitaition upon immigration, Chairman Albert John-
ae >n of the house committee on immigration declared
iujat fit was adopted just in time to prevent the
united States becoming the almshouse of the world,
lessin by its inmates.”
im That this act, though imperfect, has saved the
ui >untry from an influx of one and a half million im-
ess-igrants, at a time when they could be neither as-
inflated nor employed is generally admitted in in-
i j irmed circles.
,ry Seeing at the end of the first year that it was im-
imfjssible to eliminate restriction of immigration and
at! Congress was not ready to enter upon a more ex-
Jnded revision of the law at this time the act was
,e mtinued for another two years.
,n t In answer to the overzealous restrictionists who
inw anxious that immigration be stopped altogether
dairinan Johnson recently replied:
♦
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In a news dispatch from Chicago of December 16th,
we are informed that a definite program to amend the
immigration law has been worked out by a group of
the agricultural, manufacturing and financial inter­
ests of the country, in a series of conferences which
ended during that week in Chicago.
It is stated that interests which have canvassed the
situation thoroughly find “the present flow of immi^
gration insufficient to meet the needs of agriculture
and industry in general.” The demand is therefore
made that the check be removed so that the call for
workers might be met.
This committee reports as its findings that there
already exists a labor shortage here in a few indi­
vidual industries, chiefly in the building trades. They
It took us twenty-five years of continuous effort to get contend that the shortage is “but a curtain raiser to
.. ,wn to the three per cent restriction which affords us a the shortage that may be expected next year, unless
u asonable security. Bills were passed under the administra- a greater supply of foreign workers are available than
'S, !>ns of Cleveland, Taft and Wilson imposing only the literacy the present law promises.”
3311st, yet, these bills were each time accorded a presidential
These interests have made recommendations to
graft0«
amend the act as follows:
lust Mr. Johnson has advocated two amendments which
1. That emigration shall be considered in computing quotas
posj thinks would remedy objectionable features in the permissible from foreign countries, the net figures—difference
sidftsent act as follows:
between the number of immigrants and the number of emi­
First: That instead of the application of the three per
)peF.nt quota to all countries, great and small, a minimum of
hundred for all countries be adopted, which will allow an
;rease from some of the small countries and a reduction to
n,o per’ cent in the limitation, and thereby reduce the quotas
/ide the larger countries.
eedsSecond: That only persons eligible to American citizenship
all be admitted.
a st|This would, of course, revive the controversy over
a, e immigration of Japanese, since it would be a pro­
bition by law in place of the existing “gentlemen’s
;reement,” but it would afford an effective check
d gainst the “gentlemen’s agreement” which is so
grantly being violated.
of
f va'The record of immigration for the first year under
new law shows a total of 230,537 admitted, 1446
I werned,back because of exhausted quotas and 11,066
grants—being considered as emigration. This amendment
would permit the arrival on American shores of a good many
thousands more than are now allowed to land.
2. Examination of immigrants at ports of embarkation
abroad, rather than upon their arrival in the United States,
thereby minimizing rejections at ports of entry here.
3. Control by the secretary of labor of the immigrants
after their arrival in the United States and during the period
of their alienation. This measure is sought for educational
purposes, it is said, and within the further thought of elimi­
nating, at least, to some extent, congestion of immigrants in
the chief centers of the Atlantic seaboard.
4. Discretion to be vested in the secretary of labor as to
the admission of aliens over the numbers prescribed in their
quotas where such administration is deemed desirable for the
purpose of meeting shortages of labor in certain industries.
A bill embodying these proposed amendments, it is
stated, will presently be introduced in Congress.
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In an address in the House on September 22nd,