Evening star., 1914-01-23

can come in practically unlimited num-
bers II. by failure to do as Canada and
other British colonies have done. they
are tacitly invited"
The Secretary also says that In view
Of the understanding with the Japanese
government on immigration there should
be incorporated in pending legislation az
exception with respect to existing agree
ments as to passports"
Pending Legislation Considered.
Besides the Raker bill. Secretary vii
Church OF California and Humphrey .
Washington. and contended that the &C
stitutional right Of Congress to pass su
laws. even when the provisions affec;
tions with which the United States
treaties containing the most favored
ton clause. has of course been Sc.
beyond the peradventure of doubt.
he cited certain decisions.
The Secretary wrote that 1T W
seem to be question OF prohah
only short time before the United Stat.
immigration officials will be confront.
with problems growing out OF increasi'c -
immigration OF Asatic laborers froia
countries other than China, Japan o
India" While he thought II well to dis
pose OF the entire Asiatic immigration
question in one measure. such as the
Raker bill. 'the department however. be
cause OF the time that will necessarilt
lapse before the Raker bill can becorl =
a law. urges the passage as an emergencs
Of either of the other two
Secretary Wilson declared that sine
1899 exclusive of these from the Phi,
ippines. $3.50 Hindus entered the Unite
States in a regular manner and. incluu
ing deportations only ninety eight HI,
left. He intimated that a large numb
entered surreptitiously.
India's promised Land.c
THE department is informed r-
wrote. that word has gone forth throus
India and certain portions of Asia aaL
the adjacent islands that this is liz.
promised land. From the Philippine
came report last spring that 5000 o.
1000 were ready to start for the mainlard
at the first sign of the open door"
Secretary Wilson recommended thai
new legislation should specifically SHOW
| beyond possibility of a doubt. that tn
| words "Hindoo laborers" constitute an "
| a distinct excluded class. and he aus
| gested amendments to effectually clos
| the back door TO continental Unite
States which Hindoos and some othe
| classes of aliens are now attempting L
make OF the Philippines.
| Declaring that the term Asiatic LAHORE
| Is too indefinite for practical administra
| tive purposes the Secretary recommende'
that new legislation deflne one as
native of any country, or district, or ~
| land adjacent thereto. situated east of q
| line composed of the Red Mediterranean
| Aegean. Marmora, Black and Caspi,..
! seas, the Caucasus and Ural mountai =
and the Ural river, with the eNcepuo, 3
| of Turkey in Asia. but not to exciud'
aliens whose immigr alton into the Unitcf
States is regulated by existing agree
mentS as to passports.
| He suggests. however. that the whol''
of Turkey in Asia ght be included IL.
| the exception. The boundary line suE
gested is substantially that histor cal.
separating Asia from Europe, but not th'
| line shown in modern maps.
Treaties Not Considered.
| Secretary Wilson explained that in his
views OH Asiatic exclusion the Labor De
partment did not undertake to express
any opinion as to whether any of tht
pending bills would conflict with treaties
between the United States and any Asi-
attic countries.
That, he says, is a matter for the
State Department. He suggested. how
ever, that probably distinction couiu
be made as to the gravity of the qucs-
ton between bills conte: lplating the eN-
clusion of Hindu laborers and of Asiatie
laborers generally
The Wilson letter will be taken up bS
the House immigration committee.