Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-28
IMMIGRATION BILL
THAT FAILED
TO PASS

Below is Given a synopsis of the
committee conference report on the
immigration bill as presented. to the
upper house OF congress by Senator
Burnett on January %. taking up here
only these portions of direct interest
TO Hawaii
Section provides for a head tax or
SIS for each alien admitted to the
country, but this is not to apply to
Guam or Hawaii.
Section 3, enumerating classes OF
aliens to be excluded, adds: persons
who cannot become eligible. under ex-
listing law, to become citizens of the
United States by naturalization. I'M
less otherwise provided for by exist
ing agreements as to passports. or
by treaties, conventions, or agree
ments that may hereafter be entered
into" This is not to apply to govern
ment officials. tourists or profession
lal men or their families. Continu-
s ing. this section says:
| That after four months from the
approval Of this act, in addition to
! the aliens who are by law now ex-
eluded from admission into the Unit
ed States, the following persons shall
also be excluded from admission there
]; to, to-wit:
"All aliens over is years of age,
physically capable Of reading, who
can not read the English language or
some other language or dialect, In
Guiding Hebrew or Yiddfsh: Provid.
ed. That any admissible alien or any
alien heretofore or hereafter legally
admitted, or any citizen of the United
States, may send for his father OF
grandfather over So years of age, his
wife, his mother. his grandmother or
his unmarried or widowed daughter,
tif otherwise admissible, whether such
relative can read or not; and such
relatives shall be permitted 10 enter.
That for the purpose OF ascertain
1 Ing whether aliens can read. the i'm
i migrant inspectors shall be furnished
/, with slips, Of uniform size, prepared
under the direction of the Secretary
of Commerce and Labor, each con-
i tanning not less than thirty nor more
than forty words of ordinary use,
printed in plainly legible type in the
! various languages and dialects of
immigrants. Each alien may desig-
nate the particular languages or dia-
lect in which he desires the examin-
alton to be made, and shall be re-
quired to read the words printed on
!, the slip in such language or dialect.
) No two aliens coming in the same
| vessel or other vehicle Of carriage or
transportation shall be tested with
the same slip.
That the following classes of per-
sons shall he exempt from the opera
ton Of the illiteracy test, to wit: All
| aliens who shah prove to the satis-
faction of the proper immigration Of
ficer or to the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor that they are seeking adj
mission to the United States solely
! for the purpose of escaping from re-
| ligious persecution; all aliens In
transit through the United States;
all aliens who have been lawfully adj
| mitted to the United States and who
later shall go in transit from one part
! of the United States to another
through foreign contiguous territory.
Provided, That skilled labor, IL
otherwise admissible, may be import
/ ed If labor of like kind unemployed
can not be found in this country. and
the question of the necessity Of inn
! porting such skilled labor in any par
ticular instance may be determined
! by the Secretary of Commerce and
Labor upon the application of any
person interested, such application to
be made before such importation, and
such determination by the Secretary
of Commerce and Labor to be
reached after full hearing and an
Investigation into the facts of the
lease; but such determination shall
not become final until a period of 80
days has elapsed.
Provided further, That whenever
the President shall be satisfied that
passports issued by any foreign gov
eminent to its citizens or subjects to
go to any country other than the
United States or to any insular pos
session of the United States or to the
Canal Zone are being used for the
purpose of enabling the holder to
come to the continental territory OF
the United States to the detriment
of labor conditions therein, the Pres
ident shall refuse to permit such citf-
zens or subjects Of the country issu
ing such passports to enter the con-
tinental territory of the United
States from such other country OF
from such insular possessions OF
from the Canal Zone"
| This act is to take effect July l.
1913. 1t repeats all other acts incon-
sistent with the provisions of this
measure.
| However, Section 3S says: PRO
yided, That this act shall not be con,
strued to repeal, alter or amend ex-
! listing laws relating to the immigra
ton or exclusion of Chinese persons
or persons of Chinese descent"