The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-17
WILSON WILL VETO
Immigration BILL
Will Refuse to Sign Measure
Unless Literacy Test Is
Eliminated

| Washin gton, February 16.-President
Wilson will veto the Burnett immi-
grafton bill if it comes to him for
signature with the so-cal1ed literacy
test contained in it. This became known
from an authoritative quarter tonight
a fter Chairman Smith of the Senate
Immigration committee had an
p onneed that. the bin virtually as Il
srassed the House, Including the lit
eraey test, would be favorab1y report
that the bill will pass the Senate as
reported from the committee, but the
measure never will become law, ac-
coraing to close friends of the Presi-
dcnt. The President does not consider
literacy a test of character and be-
lieves some other means should Be de-
vised to prevent undesirable aliens from
entering the United states. He told
callers today that he had given his
view TO the Senate committee and had
left 1t to them to make it public or
not, as they chose.
IL became known tonight also that
sugR estions with reference to Chinese
and Japanese immigration made to the
House committee on immigration last
Friday by Commissioner General Cam
inetti of the immigration bureau are
not in accord with the views of the
President Mr.. Caminetti's were eX-
pressed without previous knowledge by
the White House. The Burnett bill
contains no Aasiatic exclusion provi-
sions. the House having voted down
all amendments in that direction.
,,f "a rt9ir-
man of the Senate committee on immi-
grafton, conferred with Secretary Bryan
today on administrative features of the
pending immigration measure.
The Italian ambassador. in frequent
calls at the state department. has voiced
the objection of his government to the
| feature of the bill which provides for
medical inspection aboard ship. of emf
grants and ii is understood that pro-
| vision was discussed today with possi-
4 BILE view to its elimination.
Will Enact Legislation
| Washington, February 16.-Immigration
| legislation. with provision for the literarcy
test, Tor all aliens probably Will be en-
acted before the close of the present ses-
| sion of Congress despite considerable op-
position to enactment OF such reform
pending adjustment of foreign relations
and on the eve of a congressional cam
paign.
This became apparent today when Sena-
tor Ellison d.. Smith. chairman of the
Senate immigration committee, ANNOUNCED
the determination of the committee to re-
port to the Senate the Burnett bill as 1t
passed the House. with some modifica-
tions. by the last OF this or the first of
next week. He made known the decision
of the committee not to eliminate from
the measure the literacy test which would
bar from entry all aliens over l6 years
of age vino cannot read the English Ian
guage or some other language or dialect,
including Hebrew or Viddish. Asatic ex-
clusion, much agitated in the House. will
not be considered by the committee.
Include Literacy Test
The decision to include the literacy
test in the Senate draft of the bill was
reported after Senator Smith had con-
ferred with President Wilson /, several
times on the immigration subject. Though
Senator Smith never has disclosed the
Presidents S attitude with reference to the
literacy test. some members of the com
mittee have intimated that President VIII
son was not In favor of this form of
restriction The President himself has
made no public statement as to his views
on the subject, having told inquirers that
he did not care to discuss the matter
while II was pending before the commit
tee.
The hteracy test twice has proved the
stumbling block of immigration legisla-
tion, once in President Taft's administra-
ton and, prior to that. during the incum-
bency of President Cleveland President
Taft vetoed bill on account of a lit
eracy test provision and President Cleve-
land let prior measure of the same
character die at the end of the adminis-
tration by falling to sign the bill. q form
OF executive dealing known as ''the pocket
veto"