New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-03
The President and the Literacy Test

The House immigration bill, with the iteracy
test imbedded in it, passed the Senate last night
1t now goes TO conference committee, and will
undoubtedly be submitted to the President for his
approval. although he has let t be known that he
is firmly opposed to the literacy test. Thus for
the first time since March !. 1913, the Democratic
majority in Congress has definitely challenged the
Presidents leadership.
Il was the manifest reluctance G Democratic
Representatives and Senators to offer that chal-
lenge which kept the immigration bill sdetracked
in the Senate for many months. Before the last
election it could not have been brought to vote.
The altered situation in the Democratic party
since November last is more than limited at in the
action of the Senate yesterday in bidding defiance
10 Mr.. Wilson by vote Of so to 7.
We hope, nevertheless, that Mr., Wilson will
stand fast Mr. Taft vetoed this same bill two
years ago, and it failed because there was no two
thirds majority in the House of Representatives
10 pass it over his veto. Mr.. Wilson should show
equal courage in battling for his convictions. En-
lghtened sentiment will be with him in opposing
the pending bill
The literacy test for immigrants is simply a
lazy mans test II sets up no fair or just stand
ard Of eligibility. It IS not based on character,
bodily health, capacity for labor, sobriety or any
other of the qualifications which are Of real i'm
portance in those who DO the sort of work which
falls to the average alien immigrant literacy
examination does not exclude the knave, the ldler
or the parasite. There can be pretence that
literate immigrants will work harder, lead more
respectable lives and be more useful in the devel-
oplnent of the industries which are fed by immi-
grafton than will those who never learned to read
and write. 1t is proper to set up such test for
voting. But it is extravagant to use it in trying
to sift out at Ellis Island those who are desirable
as transient workers settlers from those who
are undesirable.
The teracy qualification never had anything
TO recommend it but its easiness of application.
Like all other absolutely superficial things, it APP
peals through its off-handedness and lack Of
thoroughness. In the days when we were having
an annual immigration of 100000 to 100000
some easy catchy device like that might have
seemed plausible. Some kind of a fish net was
wanted But now, when the food Of immigration
has been greatly reduced actually as well as rela-
lively, we need no such haphazard test. If we
adopt one it should go beneath the surface and
try to make determinations based on some demon
stration Of genuine eligibility or inegbility.
How little the formal test of literacy is worth
was shown when the Senate enthusiastically
amended the House bill so as to open our doors to
the exiled inhabitants of Belgium. If those good
people want to come here and settle we are natu-
rally glad to welcome them, waving all questions
of lteracy and assisted immigration" In pinch
like this we discard our artificial restrictions
without a whimper. That shows how merely a
conventional value they have.
We should be glad to see Congress save the
situation for the Belgians by passing a special
Joint resolution facilitating their migration here.
But the immigration bill itself deserves veto,
and, once vetoed, it will have hard work getting
a two-thirds vote in the House Of Representatives.