Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-06
FULLY 250 ARE PRESENT
Each Side Is Granted an Hour and
Half.
MANY FROM BIG CITIES
Representative Curley Leads Opposi-
ton and Secretary Morrison
Represents Advocates.

President Taft sitting as Judge, Secre
ary Hilics. clerk of the court. and
Jimmie" Sloan. secret service detec-
tive, as bailiff.
The occasion was the long hearing
President Taft gave to those favorinS
,nd opposing the immigration bill now
before the President for approval or
Fully $50 people from all
parts of the country. especially the big
titles. We're present and the gathering
learly filed the east room.
President Taft. taking his seat behind
table the east side of hesroom, an
lDInced that if he heard all those VIII"
wauted to talk on the bill he would do
lothing else for the next three weeks.
The best he could do would be TO give
zach side An hour and half. making
hree hours for the whole hearing. He
gave each side "a few minutes to confer
and allot the time to the speakers. and
when this had been done permitted the
.wo sides to alternate with their speakers.
Opponents Open Discussion.
Representative Curley of Boston was in
charge of the side opposing the bill and
Frank Morrison, secretary of the Fed
Grafton of Labor, in charge of those fa-
voring it. The opponents of the bill had
the opening, as the President announced
that the burden would be upon them.
The principal speakers i'm opposition TO
the bill were Chief Justice Olson OF the
city courts of Chicago, representing. he
said. Scandina Wan people and societies:
Prof Marion .. Learned. vice president
of the University of Pennsylvania. rep
resenting German Americans: Or. Theo-
dore. SItro. president of the German
American Allia-ce; Representative Gold
fogle, representing the Jewish organlza-
tions and societies of New York: David
A. Lourie representing a large commit
tee OF New England fraternal and chari-
table societies and bodies: LOUIS Mar
shall of New York: Julius Rosenthai vi
Chicago. and others.
In favor of the bill We're Frank Nor
rison. representing the American Fed
Grafton of Labor: Representative Pow
ers of Kentucky. from a district salt
to have fewer citizens of foreign Dlrtf
and extraction than any other IN tht
United States; L. s. katzenbeck ol
Trenton. representing the Junior Ordel
of United American Mechanics; X +
Duckworth of the Farmers. Education
and Cooperative Society. Henry ADra,
ham of the Central Labor Union o.
Boston. Drs. l.. r. Barker and I. w
salmon Of New York, representing
medical and hygienic organizations
NAs. Julia Roth of Toledo. secretary OF
the National Council of Daughters Of
America. and others
Secretary Nagel. Senators Root and
O'Gorman of New York. Representa-
tiyes SABBATH. Gallagher. Lobeck. Kahn
Moore and Thayer were present. One
petition, containing half million
names. opposing the bill. was submit
ted to the President. the sieners be-
ing from the northwestern part OF the
country.
Educational Test Main Issue.
The principal arguments We're directed
for and against the educational test pro-
vision of the BILL that being the center o'
the fi,-ht by those who think the Presl'
dent should veto the measure.
In opening for the opposition Chiei
Justice Olson said that the educational
provision would shut out able-Dooled ner
and women who We're needed on tht
farms Of the country, and would admit
the educated but idle city classes from
Europe thereby adding to the conges'
ton of immigrants in the big cities OF tne
country at this time. Yet the agricultural
elements of Europe. although deficient In
book learning possibly. were the cleanesl
morally and strongest physically OF all
the people who seek admission, to the
shores of this country 1T would oe
severe setback to the farms OF the couH-
try to exclude this class.
The other speakers followed similar
lines of argument. branching out to sta
tistics showing past and present e1fects
of Immigration which should not DE
diminished as proposed by the Dill.
Indorsed by Labor.
Frank Morrison Of the Federation of
.abor told the President that his organ
ization was solidly in favor Of the bill.
He declared that the arguments that the
farms would suffer if immigration should
he restricted was largely fallacious. He
went on to declare that the bulk of the
immigrants coming to this country and
nretandine to be farmers are used in the
coal mines and manufacturing establish
ments at wages spelling ruin to labor.
The illiteracy test, he declared, was the
most practical method OF excluding un'
desirable foreigners. 1t had taken years
Of labor and effort to secure the present
hieh standards of wages for skilled and
unsl,ilIed labor in this country. and the
flood OF new immigrants are used by coal
companies and manufacturing plants to
keen down these standards. He asserted
thai while industry is protected by high
tariff, labor has no such protection. and
that the bill now awaiting executive ac-
tion did give some protection, though not
as much as desired
Strong Congressional Endorsement.
F. S. Katzenback presented arguments
along the same line. although pointing
ont to the President that this bill had
nassed both houses by large majorities.
the Senate almost Overwhelmingly and
the House by three or four to one. The
bill had passed one or the other houses
of Congress. in about the same form as
now a number OF times. by large ma
;oritias and he felt that the will OF
Congress should be given test. feeling
sure that the bill would be satisfactory
and effective. without hurting industry Or
agriculture.
The President announced that those
who did not get opportunity to be heard.
and this included a large number OF those
present, were at liberty to- file briefs ana
statements bearing on the subject, and
that he would consider these.
Lobby Work Charged.
Ex-Representative Bennet of New York
charged that the immigration bill had been
lobbied through Congress by the Junior
Order of United American Mechanics. Mr..
Bennett said that when he was defeated
for reelection in 1910 he was pointed to
as an example Of what the Junior Order
would do to a man who opposed the bill.
Mr.. Bennett also assailed the contract
IA bor clause of the bill as being faulty.
The President made inquiry as to
CONTINUED on Second Paael