New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-19
LEVELLING UP.

TIE UdNSdSc Oh the llllllleldllou Nll'
conference report by the House oil
representatives puts both branches OIL
Congress Squarely on record in favor
Of more effective limitation on i'm
migration. Both branches have APP
proved the reading test, and the Senate
may he confidently expected to- ap-
prove the other features Of the report.
r'Ost Of which were inserted at the
instance Of It's own conferreeS. 1t is
evident that outside the larger cites
where the influence of the foreign
born element Is strongest. public sen
tinent inclines toward q restriction oi
immigration. The most notable al
vance in the pending measure Is the
reading test. But that test has been
adopted. not 50 much because OF us
inherent value as n sitter Of the de-
Sirable from the undesirable as he
cause il closes the door mechanically
10 a large number of Immigrants.
II NAV he regrettablc that the
United States feels obliged 10 shut OUT
! one immigrant because he cannot read
while il admits another perhaps less
desirable applicant who has mastered
that rudimentary branch of education.
But ii is not primarily question OF
! the relative value Of tests. The pur-
| pose of those who support the pend
| ing bill is 10 check immigration one
way or another, and 10 enable the
country TO recover in part from the
! evil effects Of the too rapid inflow Of
| recent years on our industrial system.
| The troubles AT Lawrence. Mass. were
great eye-opener 10 the public "
saw wildly illustrated there the de-
| moraliZation caused by the gradual sup
planting of one cheap grade Of allen
| labor by another still cheaper grade.
| The lowest paid labor is in the long
run the most expensive. and indus
| tries in which the debaSement of the
labor supply is permitted 10 continue
are on the high road 10 ineticiency.
| The industries Of the country cannot
be maintained on the basis shown 10
exist in Lawrence, because the Law
renee SYSTEM calls for replacement Of
those who learn and improve and can
do better work by fresh arrivals of
the unframed recruited in the cheap
est labor markets Of Europe.
The Eruption of crude European Ia
bOr has put many lines Of industry
i'm this country on an unnatural basis.
In those lines the labor supply is not
renewing itself naturally as il does
i'm more settled countries Instead Of
labor becoming better trained and
more productive and bringing into
play the results Of better education
and greater Independence, il has fallen
lower and lower in the general aver
age Of fitness, 10 say nothing Of It's
capacity to understand American
ideas and to contribute Ia American
progress.
That is the situation which Congress
is trying To meet 1t i uniustlv said
that any restriction on immigration is
an affront 10 democratic principles. On
the contrary. # is an attempt TO lift
the industrial and civic standards of
democracy by preventing at least n
part of the unfit from helping 10 pro
long an Injurious and artificial condi-
ton from which American Industry
now suffers What is needed here is
more levelling up and less leveling
down. and that is what the supporters
Of the immigration bill aim al, what
ever may be thought Of the abstract
vasNe Of the educational test.