The San Francisco call., 1905-05-03
BRITISH ALIENS
ACT WILL PASS
Overwhelming Majority for
the Bill on Its Second
Reading in the Commons
SCOPE OF THE MEASURE
Its Supporters Deny That
Its Object Is the Exclu-
sion of Foreign Jews

LONDON. May 2-The House of
Commons reassembled to-day after the
Easter recess. The debate on the
aliens bill was commenced by Sir
Charles Dixie (advanced radically, who
opposed the measure. contending that
it was unnecessary.
Charles P. Trevelyan Qiberal). IN
seconding Sir Charles Dilke's motion
providing for the rejection of the aliens
bill, referred 70 the universal sympa-
thy with the oppressed, misgoverned
Russian people who are fleeing from
their country to escape conscription
for the universally detested war in
Manchuria-" These. he said would
be excluded from this country or md
greater difficulty in reaching America
IL the bill were passed.
Home Secretary Akers-Dougias said
the bill only aimed to exclude unde-
sirable aliens. He described the ex-
cellent deterrent effect of the Ameri-
can exclusion law on this class OF I'M
migrants and disclaimed any anti
semitic tendency on the part OF the
British Government. One reason why
he desired to see the question aWAd
was that he believed that If the exist
Ing state of affairs continued there
would be a chance for anti-semitic agt-
tation in ignorant quarters.
Joseph Chamberlain supported the
bill as being a measure tending to keep
out cheap labor. He said the bill was
merely a step toward greater things
The principal reason for its introduc-
tion and support by the Ministerialists
was that it was an effort to protect
workingmen against the labor OF for
eigners- 1t would be but a small step
between the bill for keeping out this
class of labor and the blk which-Cham-
q in a hc e. 4~xk~ -
shortly to prevent the goods these peo-
pie made from coming into competi-
ton with those made in Great Britain
There was no logic in saying these peo-
pie might remain at home and pro-
duce goods which Great Britain ad-
mitted free of duty
Premier Balfour pointed out the
moderation of the bill. which. he main
tained. did not interfere with the right
of asylum. as il was understood by the
forefathers. and expressly provided
that poverty alone should not exclude
aliens. He said the question OF alien
immigration was wholly distinct from
the Jewish question as it appeared on
the Continent. He agreed~~that the
United States had shown a remarkable
power of absorbing men OF different
nationalities and turning them ALL by
press of national alchemy, into Ameri-
can citizens: but the absorbing power
had limits. There were two modern
conditions calling for modern remedies:
First. facility Of transport and. Sec
ond, the fact that foreign countries.
notably the United States, realized that
unrestricted immigration might become
a national evil
1t must be observed, the Premier con-
tinued, how foreign legislation, es-
pecially that Of the United States. had
reacted upon Great Britain Many
aliens N r0T1fa tn the TrnIfad
who were not provided with through
tickets had remained here, and many
of those who reached the United
States unfit had returned to this coun-
try. Great Britain had become a sort
of sieve which let through the fit to
America, but retained the unfit. Unless
something is done Great Britain must
remain a sieve in which useless dregs
are left.
Sir Charles Dilke's amendment was
rejected, 211 to 25, and the bill passed
its second reading without division.