Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19

land already has many laws which would
be considered sumptuary in the United
States, and therefore obnoxious to the
American spirit of government To re-
quire would-be citizen newly arrived In
his adopted country to move on beyond
the point where he wished to locate
would be new idea to the American
legislative body, and one which no poll
ticfan would care to advocate.
III this plan is put into operation in Lon-
don the workings thereof will attract wide
interest and attention. The problem has
long been before the British government
and solution of the difficulty has been
earnestly sought. This same problem Is still
IL the future in the United States. but can
De quite plainly dScerned upon the near
horizon In the latter country some form
of persuasion resulting in voluntary distri-
button Will have to be adopted as soon as 1t
can be devised and is pronounced safe and
feasible. Under the English form of gov
eminent parliament takes into it's own
hands the welfare of its citizens. as there
are no written restrictions in the form Of
constitutional law.
While all the countries in the world are
more than pleased to lose their undesirable
elements of population through emigration,
the civilized nations would be well content
to take care of undesjrables now on hand
If guarantee was given them that no more
would be dumped upon them from outside
sources The United States immigration
laws are the strictest in existence They
"
Tar as lies within human power. There Is
no law written however, which cannot be
violated, and this statement applies unfor-
tunately with considerable force to the
United States immigration laws. Transpor-
tation companies and great corpora tons
employing large numbers of people are not
backward in making it easy for the deficient
emigrant to find his way to the United
States. and, without fagrantly violating the
law. the man who is Just below the legal
standard can be SO assisted and coached as
to pass inspection.
Present English Movement.
The present movement in England to
partially follow the United States in its at
tempt to restrict the ingress of undesirable
aliens is but common Instinct on the part
Of intelligent self-respecting English
speaking peoples to protect themselves and
their descendants from the undermining in
fuence of the lowest class of humanity
seeking to better its condition without re-
gard to the generally bad effect on the bet
ter class with which they enter into COM
petition.
1t is possible that out of this common
movement will come some form of interna-
tonaI agreement not only between England
and the United States. but among all civil
lied nations, to protect themselves against
the criminal and deficient classes of less
favored countries. This suggestion has
been met with the statement that such an
international agreement would require some
form of outlet or dumping ground for the
undo sirables leaving their native lands.
This does not seem logical in view of the
fact that if each country restrained
from sending its worst elements abroad
they would simply remain at home and fur
nish an additional stimulus to their better
ment by the country whose people and in
situations were responsible for their exist
ence.
1t may be assumed that all nations are
DESTROYS of retaining any citizen who would
ha cf,,1S dor n i-l hi az
some other country. and that any general
movement which would be welcomed by the
government of country from which the
movement took place could only be on the
part of those who are not wanted. This
does not apply so fully to the United
States, that country is refuge Tor
many excellent people whose political or
religious opinions might insure them
cordial farewell greeting from the gov
eminent of their native land But in
these modern days political and religious
tolerancy has reached such point that
there are few countries in the world where
1t is necessary to exile any considerable
number of people TO preserve existing In
etitutions. To escape persecution the Rus
sian Jew leaves his own country. The peo-
pie of both England and the United States
would be far better off If their respective
governments. singly of jointly, should in
sist upon fair treatment of the Jews by
Russia than to welcome them as refugees.
While pos g3ly entirely understandable as
additions 10 the population, these people
as a class are absorbed into the already
,overcrowded centers of population and add
to the large number who forced to
cept the lowest possible wage which will
keep soul in body.
The exclusion OF these people by England
will result in adding to the tide which flows
to the United States, and in time the United
States will be forced to meet the same prob
lem with which England is now struggling.
and which she proposes TO solve by meas
tres more drastic than would he considered
for a moment in the former country The
adoption of the proposed alien restriction
law by England will undoubtedly in time
suggest possible aid to the United States on
the part of England in connection with the
thousands of immigrants using the latter
country as a highway to America. An effl-
Gent inspection by American officials at
English ports would stop at its inception
,,,uch of the trouble now arising from the
arrival of deficient aliens at American ports.
Ii the transportation interests, through
rigid enforcement of the law and its PEN
allies were made to feel the advantage or
co-operation with rather than antagonism
to the government in handling these people,
tie results would be highly satisfactory
Having once taken this step toward the re-
striction of the movement of aliens, an IN
ternatioual agreement between England ana
tho United States for mutual protection
does not seem to be an impoSsiblity OF the
near future however remote the prospect
of A general international agreement among
all civilized nations might be.
j. ID. WHELPLEf.
M 1NuESTJG TRTSTS