The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-03
Overwhelming Majority Ac- corded Measure Despite Indications That the Pres ident Will Veto It
RESULT INDICATES
 BILL MAY BE PASSED
 OVER WILSON'S VETO
Only Seven Senators Oppose Measure - Amendments
 Expected to Be Agreed
 Upon in Early Conference

Wellington, January z.-The tmn,i-
 grafton bill containing the restrictive
 Iiterscy test for admission of aliens passed the senate late today. 30 to 2. The overwhelming majority was re-
 corded despite indications that s'res- idcut Wilson would veto the measure. ss did former President Taft, 1t should come to him with the educational test included.
 The vote indicated that the bill could be repassed by more than the required two thirds majority should the President reject the measure Senators who voted against tho bin were: Brandegee. Mo Cumber Maritime. oGorman, Ransdcll. Reed and Walsh.
 Ths bill passed tho House last February.
 Although the Senate amended the House bill in several particulars. the literacy
 test was unaltered, save for an additional
 exemption to Belgian subjects, adopted today after prolonged debate. House lead CTS probably will ask for conference on Senate amendments Monday. but ad-
 niristraton leaders were confident Sem ate amendments would he accepted and the bill sent to the President by the mid dle of next week.
 Among Senate amendments which House leaders said probably would be accepted
 Ia one to exclude from the United States all persons of the African race or of negro blood Another strengthens the phraseol- ogy of the prohibition of polygamists-
 Closing Arguments Closing hours Of the debate were de--oted
 to an .amenamens os Senator Lodge to exempt Belgian farmers from the literacy test and from provisions which will prohibit Americans from soliciting or ir- ducing immigration. Already Amercan or ganizations are endeavoring to Induce Bell gians to settle in this country. The amendment. as finally adopted, 24 to zs reads:
 That the provisions of this act relat- Ing to the iliteracy test or induced or assisted immigration shall not apply to agricultural immigrants from Belgium
 who come to the United States during the course of the present European war or
 within one year after it's termination ow- ing to circumstances or conditions aris-
 ins through the war, if 1t is shown to
 the satisfaction of the commissioner of
 immigration that said Belgian immigrants
 come with the intention of engaging in | agriculture in the United States and to become American citizens" The amendment precipitated long discus- ] sion. Many amendments were offered to
 include all subjects of belligerents whooo homes had been invaded. Senator Poin- 1 dexter declared other nations would pro- l tes. under the favored natlons' clause of | their treaties.
 Supported Amendment Senator Root. who supported the Lodge amendment, declared 1t would not violate any treaty obligations. He pictured tho Beigians as people without country | and without a protecting government Many senators from agricultural states | protested against the limitation of tho cx- l emption to farmers.
 1 The literacy test as finally approved is virtually 1t passed the House. All | amendments to enlarge the exemption to
 admit persons fleeing from political or
 racial as well as religious persecution
 were rejected The section reads
 That after four months from the ap- proval of this act In addition to the
 aliens who are by law now excluded from
 admission into the United States. the following persons also be excluded from | admission thereto, towit:
 | All aliens over l6 years of age physi- l caly capable of reading, who cannot read | the English language or some other lam guage or dialect, including Hebrew or | Yiddish."
 l Provided, that any admissible alien | or any alien heretofore or heretofore | legally 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 1 grandmother, or his unmarried or l tContinued on Page Twe)