The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-04-14
READING TEST SURE
IMMIGRATION BILL CONTAINING
LITERAcY CLAUSE CERTAIN
TO BECOME LAW.
PRESIDENT WILL SIGN IT
Although Personally Opposed to the
Clause, the Executive Will Pay
Heed to the Wishes Of
Congress.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

ny GEOnGG CLiN yin.
Washington. Some weeks ago it
was said in these dispatches that be-
fore many months had elapsed adult
aliens seeking admission to the Unit
ed States would be tested as to their
ability to read. This was written with
full knowledge that President Wilson
would prefer that the literacy test.
should be excluded from the law.
Members Of congress who seemingly
are in a position to know Mr. Wilson's
mind on the subject now seem to
have no doubt that the measure will
get his signature. 1t Is virtually GER
tain that neither senate nor house will
insist that the nteracy clause be ex-
cluded from the pending legislation.
Senators and representatives who
oppose the literacy test as part OF
the immigration bill still believe that
because of its presence in the measure
President Wilson will interpose his
veto. The friends OF the test clause
in congress, however, are insistent in
theit belief that the measure will get
the presidents signature
This division of opinion with friend
on one side and foe on the other
makes it appear that the wish is
father to the thought in each case.
Perhaps it is, but the accommodating
evidence is that while the president
personally is opposed to submitting
aliens to the reading test, he will
sign the bill with the Objectionable
clause included.
Ask Reading Test.
The legislatures of Ohio, Tennessee,
Virginia and Vermont and of several
other states have adopted resolutions
asking congress to impose reading
test on adult aliens seeking admission
to this country. The great labor or
CARNATIONS, the largest organizations
of farmers both of the North and
South, and other organizations all
over the country have been petitioning
the lawmakers for years to put the
reading test" on the statute books.
1t looks today as if it were to be given
a place there.
1t is said in Washington that Presi-
dent Wilson, while personally opposed
to the literacy test, has made up his
mind that he should pay heed to the
wishes Of congress and especially to
a report made by the commission
which spent four years investigating
and studying in this country and in
Europe the whole immigration sub
ject. The report of the commission
was made to congress some time ago.
The majority of the commission ia
vored not only writing test as the
most feasible single method of re-
strictins undesirable immigration"
Strong feeling, bitter feeling, in fact,
is expressed by some members of
congress against the reading test The
basic argument of opponents of the
literacy clause is that this country
will be untrue to its traditions and to
the spirit in which the republic was
founded if it shall refuse admittance
to men and women otherwise fit for
citizenship simply because, they cen
not read. These opponents of the lit
eracy test say that economic consider
atoms ought not to weigh against an
effort to maintain true democracy.
Other representatives and senators
feel that the influx of the ignorant is
lowering the standard of life and the
standard of character of American
workmen and they use the report of
the commission to bulwark their ar
guments. Here is a paragraph from
the commissions report which is
quoted freely and which was used in
the first attempt to bring President
Wilson into sympathy with the move
ment for Iiteracy test:
Monopolize unskiIIed Labor.
at is certain that southern and
eastern European immigrants have
almost completely monopolized un-
skilled labor activities in many of the
more important industries. This phase
of the Industrial situation was made
the most important and exhaustive
feature of the commissions investiga-
ton, and the results show that while
the competition of these Immigrants
has had little, if any, effect on the
highly skilled trades, nevertheless,
through lack of industrial progress
and by reason of large and constant
reinforcement from abroad, it has
kept conditions in the semi-skilled
and unskilled occupations from ad-
vancing."
The commission which studied the
immigration question was appointed
at the instance of the opponents of
the literacy test. TIE report which
the members turned in of course was
a bitter disappointment to the men
who we're instrumental in securing
the commissions appointment They
probably had expected different
kind of result. President Wilson, If
he signs the bill, as appearances indi-
cate that he will. probably will be
moved to forego his own inclinations
largely because of the findings made
by a commission of men who, it is
said, went to their work single-heart-
eddy and with no view except that of
discovering the facts.
If the bill passes in its present form
and is signed by the president it will
give basis in reason for the murlnur-
ings of men who think that Americans
of today are departing from the path
outlined by their fathers for their
walking.