The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-01-16
j. s. SENATE PASSES
IMMIGRATION BILL
Burnett Bill Providing for Liter.
acy Law Becomes Law-Ex-
ceptions Made.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-By a
vote of SO to Z, the United States SEN
ate, last Saturday, passed the Burnett
immigration bill, with the illiteracy
test, which provides that immigrants
must read the English language, cor
some other language or dialect, in
Guiding Hebrew or Yiddish.' Ex-
ceptions to the test were made in
cases where "any admissible alien or
any alien heretofore or hereafter leg.
ally admitted, or any citizen of the
United States, may bring in or send
for his father. or grandfather over
55 years of age, his wife, his mother,
his grandmother, or his unmarried Or
widowed daughter,
The bill passed the house of repre-
sentatives on Feb. 4 last by a vote Of
252 to 1875. It now goes to a confer
ence of both houses because of SEN
ate amendments The :illiteracy test
remains intact, and it is believed an
agreement will be reached in the near
future between both branches, after
which the bin. will, be presented to
PRESIDENT Wilson for signature.
Taft Veto Similar Bill.
A bill similar to the present one
was. vetoed by President Taft, be-
cause Of the i1literacy test
1.-The Burnett bill was urged by the
American Federation of Labor and
the organized farmers of this country.
Its passage by the senate marks an
other. advance by unionists in their
ei1orts to secure remedial legislation.
regulation hof immigration was in
in 1aI
made public in 1906.
"A. F. of l.. Endorsed Bill.
At the Philadelphia convention Of
the A. F. of L., last November. tho
burnett bill was, unanimously ap-
proved, and attention was also called
10 the large number Of incapacitated
immigrants who will come to our
shores after the European war. These
Will be assisted by: their respective
governments, SO that the devastated
natlons may have only the fittest, that
commerce and industry may be re-
stored. For this" the convention
declared If for no other reason, the
organized labor movement of the
North American continent should de-
'oIe, without CESSATION. it's most earn
est endeavor to secure the speedy pas
sage of the Burnett BILL containing
provision for the illiteracy test
' Work of Years.
For years the trade union nova
ment has endeavored to check the
horoes OF immigrants, in most cases
. asslseeo'| Who have been the greatest
factor in making it possible for the
steel trust, the meat packers, the coal
oarons, and their allies to maintai
the living standard of their employees
at low point.
ms question has been the subject
OF 1nnumerable Investigations bv con-
gresslQnal committees. The immi-
grafton commission, consisting If rem
resentatlves of both houses, after lone
research and inquiry recommended
the exclusion OF. those unable to real
or write In some language" It was
declared on the floor of the senate
last Saturday, that the Immigration
commission, after it's several years
stuoy, has "given us more detailed
Information On the subject than was
ever gathered together before in tho
history of the world"
lldterates Tend to Congregate
Ihls report, together with thar ~
nearly every other competent investi-
gator, declares that the tendency If
the 1lllterates over the literates to
congest in the large cities is verv
marked, and that this was one Of tho
strongest economic reasons for fav-
oring restriction.
On this point trade unionis+s ros+o
thelr. case and presented: their expert
ence and knowledge of industry j., IT.
les as an unanswerable argument ~
the sentimental pleas Of we'll na.n
!ns peopie VINO overlooked the all
Important battle organized workers
aie was1ng to maintain American liv-
ing Standards ''~
e"s"s"s~s~sss.'srs..e-s-s.s- .s~er.-