The Sentinel=record., 1915-01-03
SENATE PASSES
IMMIGRATION BILL
llTERACY TEST WAS RETAINED
I'M THE BILL AS ADOPTED BY
THAT BODY.
Measure is Passed by an OverWhelm-
ing Majority Of SO to HAS Al
ready Passed the House

Washington, Jan 2-The immigra-
ton bill containing the restrictive
literacy test for admission of aliens
which has been the obstacle in imml-
grafton reform legislation. for the
greater part of two national admins
trations, passed the senate late today
by vote OF so to z. The overwlelm-
ing majority was recorded despite
President Wilson's indication he
would veto the measure as did former
President Taft it it should come to
him with the educational test in
Guided
The vote in the senate indicated the
bill could be re-passed by more than
the required two-thirds majority
should the president reject the meas.
ure. Senators who voted against the
bill we're: Brandegee, McCumber
MARITIME, O'GOrman, Ralsdell Read
and Walsh. The bill passed the
house February 4 last by vote of 241
to 1876
Although the senate amended the
house bill in several particulars. the
literacy test was unaltered save for
an additional exemption to BelGian
subjects which was adopted today
after prolonged deliberatioa. House
leaders probably will ask for a con
ference on senate amendments Mon
day; but administration leaders were
confident senate amendments would
be accepted and the bill sent to the
president by the middle of next week
Among senate amendments which
house leaders have said probably
would be accepted, is one to exclude
from the United States all persons OF
the African race or OF negro blood
Another strengthens the phraseologl
of the prohibition of polygamists.
Closing hours of the debate today
We're devoted TO an amendment by
Senator Lodge to exempt Belgian
farmers from the literacy test and
from the provisions which prohibit
Americans from soliciting or inducing
immigration. Already several Ameri-
can organizations are endeavorins to
induce Belgian refugees to settle in
this country. The amendment as
finally adopted by vote Of "a to %.
follows:
THAT the provisions Of this act re.
latlng to the illiteraCy test or induced
or assisted immigration shall not ap-
ply to agricultural immigrants from
Belgium, Who come to the United
States during the course of The pres
eat European war or within one year
after it, termination owing to circum-
stances or conditions arising through
the war, if it Is shown to the satsfIc
ton of the commissioner general of
immigration that the said Belgian i'm !
migrants come with the intention OF
engaging in agriculture in the United |
States and to become American citi- |
zeas."
Many amendments We're offered to !
include all subjects of bellierent |
countries whose homes had been in |
yaded. Senator Poindexter declared |
other nations would protest under the |
favored nations clauses of their trea- !
ties with the United States.
Senator Root, who made an eloquent |
plea for the Lodge amendment. de- |
clared it would not violate any treaty |
obligation He pictured the Belgians |
as a people without country and |
without a protecting government who |
needed asylum. Many senators from |
agricultural states protested against |
the limitation of these exemptions to |
FARMERS.
The literacy test as finally approved |
by the senate is practically as it |
passed the house, all amendments to
enlarge the exemptions TO admit per.
sons fleeing from political or racial
as well as religious persecution hav |
ing been rejected
The literacy test would require all |
aliens over is years physically cap |
able Of reading to be able to read |
the English language or some other
language or dialect. including Hebrew
or Yiddish The test would not apply |
to the father or grandfather over 30
years Of age, Tile wife, mother. grand
mother or unmarried or widowed |
daughter Of an alien previously adj
mitted, who desired to bring in these |
relatives The act would also exempt |
aliens emigrating from another coun-