The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-10
Letter to Burnett

Birmingham, February 26, 1912. Hon. John L. Burnett, Member or Con gress, Washington, D. C.:
 Dear Sir-I understand there has been introduced in Congress a bill, which is now before the committee on which you are chairman, to exclude all immigrants who cannot read and write
 Tt seems to me that if this bill passes 1t would be very injurious to this district, and as chairman of the immigration com mittee of the Chamber of Commerce If this city I would ask if you can consci- entiously oppose this bill. Our committee, of which 1 am chairman, all coincide with me- and 1 have talked with a great many of our city, and they are appealing to me to do what I can in the matter. If l have been correctly informed you are also opposed to this bill.
 What we need in this country and in the south Is labor, and if you exclude all those who cannot read and write it would very seriously curtail the labor we have and hope to get in this district. The illit- eracy feature might well apply to these people when they become, or apply for naturalization papers. They should know how to read and write if they take part in our elections.
 q sincerely hope that Vou cannot ac- feat this bill that action of the committee be postponed, if possible, until the south ern country can be heard from on the subject It may be that all this has been done. This matter was only brought 70 my attention today, and it is only very recently that have been appointed chair man of this committed.
 .s[ would be pleased to hear from you at your leisure. and if you have any sug- gestions to make, in which our committee can aid you. we would be very glad to do so. Yours truly, "W. B. LEEDY,
 Chairman
 Response to Leedy
 The letter given below is the response sent to Mr. Lecdy by MT. Burnett con- corning the bill;
 House of Representatives,
 "Committee on Immigration
 and Naturalization,
 'Washington, D. C., March 5, 1912. ''W. B. Leedy, Chairman, Birmingham, Ala.
 MY Dear Sir--Your letter was received several days ago. in which you protest against the passage of bill fixing a reading test for the admission of im- migrants to this country.
 "The committee has decided to report bill requiring those over 16 years of age to be able z to read their own or some other language or dialect. To this there is a proviso, admitting father or mother, grandmother or grandfather over 45 years old, and the wife of the immi- grant who is otherwise admissible, and also not applying the reading test to an immigrant fleeing from religious persecu- tion.
 "I am heartily in favor of this bill for. while it will keep out a great many from southern Europe, 1t will not eX- clude the good immigrants from north ern and western Europe. I do not be- | ieve that we need any more of thai class which is giving so much trouble l at Lawrence and other sections of the country and I believe that the industria conditions will be really better with out them. I am sure that the soca lconditions will be improved by keeping them out. Respectfully.
 JOHN l.. BURNETT"
 The Chamber of Commerce committe, on immigration is composed of w. B <! I.eedy, chairman; ]. O. Thompson. Ed win C. Ball, c. D. Pantaze and T, H Benners.