The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-07
Has Protests From Ger
many, Italy and the
Netherlands
DIVIDES HIS TIME
BETWEEN TWO SIDES
President Declares Burden Rests With
Those Opposing Measure-Many
Protests to Certain Features
Urged at Hearing

Washington, February 6-When Presi-
dent Taft gave hearing today upon the
new immigration bill he also had before
him protests from Germany. Italy and
The Netherlands against the provisions
which authorizes the Secretary of Com
merce and Labor to place inspectors,
matrons and public health service sur
geons aboard immigrant ships to report
to American emigration authorities upon
the condition of immigrants en- route. An
other protest from Austria is said to be
involved and 1t is said that France ann
England will Join the combined protest
All the protesting nations are said to re-
gard the provisions as an infringement
of their sovereignty over their ships on
the high seas and impugns the faith OF
their officials in the execution of the i'm
migration laws. Many prominent Jews
arrived here to protest to the President
against certain features of the bill.
Protests Are Heard
President Taft heard the protests in the
east room of the White House. He tola
those appearing that he was virtually
sitting as judge. Senator'S oGormah
and Root Secretary Nagel, Representa-
tives Roberts, Thayer. Kahn, SABBATH ana
Curley and Julius Rosenwald of chicago
and Louis Marshall of New York were
among a hundred or more of those seated
about the President. who began the hear
ing with an announcement.
1.-The burden Is upon those who oppose
this bill,v said the President. 1T re-
quires a very strong showing to induce
the executive to override the action OF
both Houses of Congress-"
President Taft said that every organ
fs,ta ed a
speaker, might file a brief. He allowed
ahree hours for the hearing equally di-
vided between the two sides.
Speaks Against Measure
Harry Oleson, chief justice of the Chi
cago municipal court, representing citizens
of Scandinavian descent, and also the
Association OF Foreign Language News
papers of the United states, spoke In
opposition TO the bill. 1t would draw i'm
migrants from the big cities of Europe
and not the agricultural communities, he
I'd. This. he contended, would fur
ngest the big cities of the United
md more would attempt to como
-oad. More important than the
est he declared, lis the Was
ts,st of the blood"
Satzenbach of Trenton, n. j..
ng the Junior Order of United
Mechanics, said the best argu-
favor of the bill was that the
Cn q States Senate had four times with
I'm last four months passed the meas
UT an some form by practically a two
thirds vote. He eontended that 1t would
not keep out those persons who woF:d
be desirable citizens but would bring in
very much better class. Representa-
tive curley of Massachusetts presented
a petition which he said bore the sigma
lures of 10000 American ctizensswho OPP
posed the immigration bill.
l.. r. Barker, president of the National
Congress of Mental Hygiene, said he
and other doctors believed the provi.
sion for mental and physical tests was
wise. ''The number of insane and defec-
tive persons in this country is appalling" !"
he declared. 1T exceeds the total num-
Der of officers in the American army
navy and marine corps and exceeds the
number of students in all colleges and
universities of America
President Taft at the conclusion of
arguments said he would read any
briefs filed before making his decision
whether TO approve or veto the bill.