Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-09
FORBES ATTACKS
LITERACY TEST
FOR ALIENS
Bars Too Much Of the UnskiIIed
Labor So Badly Needed by
America, He Says,
BY 3. c. FORBES.

BY B. c. FORBES.
Too many of us nowadays want to
earn our living without sweating,
without bending our backs, without
soiling our precious fingers. Educa-
ton has bred an aversion to man lal
labor.
And yet Congress once again pro-
poses to shut the nations gates in the
face OF the very class best fitted, and
anxious, TO perform bodily toll
We need the men our legislators
want to drive from our shores. We
could well spare some OF those they
plan to admit.
A '1iteracy' test for strong, stal-
wart hard working immigrants is not
only rankly n-American, not only re-
pugnant TO the spirit which gave birth
to the republic, but Ia short sighted
is unnecessary and is poor business
The sturdy alien who may never
have enjoyed educational opportun.-
ties and who may be unable TO sign
his name is less likely to become a
dangerous undesirable citizen than
some of your smart Alexis up to AL
sorts of clever tricks, from making
counterfeit money to running private
banks.
The United States is more in need
of farm laborers than oft-fingered
clerks, more in need of nayvies than
email afnr in mead nf
alien Drawn than ready made alien
brains.
How many native born Americans
care to do chores? How many o.
them want to dig sewers excavate
subways, prepare roadbeds, lay ra'l
road tracks, sweep streets, shine
shoes. unload boats, or 60 from cities
to till the soil Are those born an
der the Stars and Stripes given 20
hewing wood and drawing water? DO
they not prefer more "genteeP' occu-
pationsr
Somebody must do the rough work
of the world. Somebody must serve
in the basement Everybody can't sit
IN the front parlor The kitchen must
be stated,
on economic grounds alone-not to
heed higher considerations--it wou.
be a fatal mistake to stop the imml-
grafton of healthy, non criminal
aliens simply because they could not
go through a reading test. Raise The
standard of examination for ctizel-
ship IL you choose; throw every re1-
sonable safeguard around the ballot.
But don't dry up the stream of raw,
unskilled labor, men accustomed 10
strenuous toll, men fired with aInbi
ton TO better their lot men ready -
accept rude tasks which the native
American would scorn to touch.
If this great, undeveloped land is
to prosper II needs muscle as well az
mentality, ii needs unskilled laborers
as well as becollared gentlemen, II
needs sons of the soil. II needs mine
workers, II needs diggers, II needs
scavengers.
And do not forget that your inlet
tered immigrant of to-day may be-
come your merchant prince. your
industrial magnate. your social bet
terment leader of tomorrow.
AS for the offspring OF uneducated
oAlCllSt nave NOu ever SAuiitu INC
prize lists of our schools and coll
leges? Have you ever taken the trou-
BILE to analyZe the columns of names ?
The 'literacy" barrier which Presi-
dent Wilson is apparently to be ask
ed to sanction would keep from our
shores members Of races who have
produced more riches in science, in
music, in literature. in painting. in
sculpture and every other form OF art
than Ameira Is likely TO boast for
som etime to come. Who knows but
that from some unlearned allen may
spring up In this land an admixture
Of the romance and idealism OF the
Old World and the irrepresssibe en-
terprise and practical mindedness of
thee New World. which shall reach
new heights in science, in art, in
poetry. in literature?
Leaving aside such considerations,
let il be repeated that America can
not afford to reject honest, hard
working immigrants simply because
fate has denied them the blessings OF
education. II 1t be true, as is alleged
that labor unions are behind the pro
posed legislation, the leaders of these
organizations should be far sighted
enough to realize that without an ad-
equate supply of unskilled labor the
demand for skilled labor must be re-
stricted Unskilled labor forms the
base for industry: skilled labor is
part OF the superstructure. Narrow
the base, and the superstructure can
not expand.
Into the collateral issues of imm-
grafton into the thousand and one
problems it begets, l can not here en-
ter But this much can be said; The
salvation of America does not lie in
excluding law -abiding, healthy man
ual laborers solely bevause of their in
ability to read or write More could
be accomplished by enforcing wide
provisions for deporting aliens who
proved undesirable after being admit
ted TO the privileges and opportuni-
ties of this thrice blessed land. here
tofore thes haven Of the oppressed in
Il.