The Forrest City times., 1913-01-17
THAT IS WHAT UNCLE SAM IS LIKELY SOON TO SAY TO
 IMMIGRANTS.
BILL NOW IS IN CONFERENCE
President Taft Probably VIII Sign Measure That Is Designed to Ex- clude People From Some Parts of Southern Europe.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

grafton restriction bill and sent 1t over to the house for approval. The representatives changed the form of the bill, passed 1t and sent it to con ference. It is believed that an agree ment upon the provisions of the meas ure will be reached by the two houses and that soon congress will pass 1t and send 1t to the president for his signature or his veto.
 It Is understood that MT. Taft does not entirely agree with the provi- slons of the measure in the form In which 1t seems certain it finally will be approved by congress. The law will contain a provision shutting out from America all immigrants above the age of sixteen years who are un able to read, unless it can be proved that the aliens are fleeing from reli- gious persecution.
 While the president is said not to be entirely sympathetic with the bill 1t is believed that in the near future immigrants will be subjected to the reading test before they can admitted to this country. The test will be in the language which the immigrants speak. When the measure passed the senate there was a five to one vote in favor of provision which would have subjected immigrants to both reading and writing tests. The house knock ed out the writing provision and sent the bill to conference.
 Taft Will Sign It.
 It Is the opinion of congressman who havemade inquiry into the matter that the change of the form of the H. literacy test will not make much diff ference It Is held that about 99 out of every 100 persons who know how to read also know how to write. It seems finally to be assured that re strictlve immigration measure will find a place on the statute books In the immediate future. for while Presi- dent Taft is known to have some doubts in the matter, the general be- lief is that he will sign the bill
 There Is no use to try to gloss over the real reason why congress was will ing 10 put the reading test into the new immigration law. The desire is to keep out immigrants whom ex- perience. it is said. has proved to be undesirable as class. and this means the exclusion of certain of the south Italians. certain of the Jews, certain of the Poles. and men and women of other races among whom the per centage of illiteracy is high.
 The steamship companies always have been against "anti-immigration laws The reason for their opposi- ton needs no explanation. Under the proposed law rejected aliens will be sent back to their native lands at the expense of the steamship companies which bring them over The supposi- tion Is that the companies will on their own behalf see to 1t that no one is allowed on board who cannot go through unstumblingly paragraph of his school reader
 For years attempts have been made in congress to get through an immi- grafton bill with an illiteracy test clause as one of its provisions. In 1897. when Grover Cleveland was president. bill very much like the present one. or like the form In which 1t has been sanctioned by the house was passed by congress. Mir Cleveland vetoed 1t and 1t has been said that aft erward he regretted his act. There always has been strong opposition to the passage of measure which would exclude immigrants because of ina biiity to read and write.
 Question Really of Geography.
 If congress could have done 1t, 1t would have exempted from the Hit eracy test immigrants from the north ern European countries, but of course 1t could not do this. The issue, so far as geographical restriction" Is concerned, always has been avoided, but when q thing Is perfectly plain, denials and evasion are of no service. Certain kinds of immigrants are not wanted. and 1t Is supposed that the H. literacy clause will keep them out.
 The opposition to the illiteracy test has come during the years not only from naturalized Americans who do not like to see their homeland kindred debarred from admission. but from men and women of prominence In the work of the world and who are descended from immigrants" who came to this country in the seven teenth and eighteenth centuries.
 The provision of the bill which al lows illiterate immigrants to enter the country if they are trying to get away from religious persecution opens up the question of proof. In certain countries the Jews are persecuted off and on. Will an immigrant be allowed to enter because he Is in fear of per secution, a fear based on past per formance?" In other words, must the persecution be open and active and must man be actually fleeing from it in order to be admitted to this country without being asked to read his way into It?
 Wilson Silent on Cabinet.
 Never within the memory of the members of congress oldest in sery- ice has Q president-elect been so self