Evening star., 1915-01-22
PRESIDENT HEARS
uITERACY DEBATE
Friends and Foes of Immigra-
ton Test Argue at the
White House.
FARMERS AND LABOR MEN
UPHOLD THE MEASURE
]. Hampton Moore Says German,
Italian, Jewish and Polish Ameri-
cans Oppose the Act.

Five hundred man and woman social
workers, labor leaders and publicists
crowded the historic east room of the
White House today at a public hearing
before President Wilson on the immi-
| grafton bill.
Three hours for argument were ap-
| portioned equally between the oppo-
| nents and the supporters Of the meas
| ure. Seated at long table and flank
| ed by his military aid in full uniform
and some stenographers. President
Wilson took his place promptly at 10
am. to listen to the argument for and
against the literacy test around which
the fight on the bill is waged.
Speakers in favor of the measure con-
tended the literacy test would improve
the quality of immigration: those op-
posed to it declared 1t was no test of
who would become desirable citizens
| would be kept out simply by an in
ability to read and write.
Divide Three Hours.
President Wilson said the time would
be controlled for the immigration bill
by Frank Morrison. secretary of the
American Federation of Labor. and
against the bill by Representatives
Gallivan, SABBATH and Goldfogle. Those
favoring the bill would open in one
hour and close in a quarter of an hour.
The arguments on both sides were
| more or less familiar, having often
been gone over.
j. H. Patten of the Farmers National
Union, appearing for this organization
and the Grange. representing millions
of farmers, spoke first in favor OF the
bill. reading numerous kilograms and
letters from state farmers organiZa-
tions. urging that the bill become law.
He asserted that at the close of the
European war millions of undesirable
immigrants would be dumped into the
! United States. Conditions there would
be SO bad that every man who could
get away would do SO, resulting In a
deluge of unsatisfactory people. He
declared that the food of cheap labor
the standard of living. Outstanding the
labor of the United States.
Gives Insanity Figures.
/ Dr. Stewart Patton of New York. rep
| resenting various organizations Of
alienists eugenics and state boards OF
health. said that three-fourths Of the
insanity in large states of the country
| is the result of illiterate immigration.
There are more insane in the United
States than college students. and The
cost of maintaining them is greater
! than the cost of common-school educa-
| tion. This terrible burden of insane.
he said could be largely traced to the
| flood of aliens arriving every year. He
gave many startling figures.
William NJ. Clark. representing the
| brotherhoods of railroad men, said all
| these organizations strongly favored the
present bill. and appealed to the Presi-
dent to sign the measure.
Prof. H. p. Fairchild OF Yale Cniver-
sity followed in behalf Of the bill. He
claimed that the literacy test is Ameri-
| can and fair.
Prof. E. A. Ross Of the Wisconsin Uni
versity stood for the literacy test. Of all
| tests that had been proposed to restrict
immigration. the one of illiteracy was
| best, he said.
| Fergus A Dennis of Philadelphia
closed the first hour for advocates of the
bill. He represented different patriotic
and religious societies.
| The opposition to the bill was opened
! by Representative J. Hampton Moore.
who said that the German. American,
Italian, Polish, Jewish and other Or
nous against the bill. He declared
that there Is sufficient exclusion in ex-
isting laws.
! The next speaker was Prof. Larned
os
whose investigation into the history of
this country showed him that the best
| immigrants the country ever had We're
illiterate. He said the iteracy test
| would shut out the farmers of Europe
and let in the worst class of people
from foreign cities.
! David A. Loure said that one hundred
wears ago the same arguments against
immigration were presented as are now
| heard.
Sol Cohen Of the Independent Order
of King Solomon Of New Jersey. MAIN
tanned that there is more illiteracy In
this country among the children of ma
tive born parents than among those of
alien parents, and the latter, he de-
cIared have made good citizens.
| Daniel Borofsky of Boston said that
many foreign-born citizens of this
| country had relatives abroad they
| would wish to bring to this country
at the close of the European war. The
| proposed law, he said, would shut out
| mothers, sisters, cousins and others of
good character.
Defends the Illiterate.
Representative Gallivan vigorously
opposed the bill. saying that the real
sional men. Lack OF letters is not
lack Of knowledge" he declared. THE
literacy test is by no means a test of
| character. honesty or fitness"
Oswald Willard, editor of the New
York Evening Post, followed Mr. Calf
van, opposing the bill in strong fash
| ion, and giving many reasons why the
bill should not be signed.
| Robert F.. Wagner. former lieutenant
governor of New York. said that so per
cent of the population of New York
city Is foreign born. or the children of
| foreign BORN.
He spoke of the ambitions and hopes
| of alien parents for their children, and
their efforts to educate their OFF,
spring. Louis Marshall of New York.
| president of the American Jewish COM
aad