Denver labor bulletin., 1916-04-08
IMMIGRATION BILL
PASSESBY 3O8TO87
Stringent LiteraCy Test Re-
tanned by Big Vote
Predicted That Support Of Measure
in Congress Is Sufficient to Over
ride Veto by the President

The Barnett immigration bill, with its
literacy test and Asiatic exclusion pro-
vision unchanged, passed the house late
last Friday afternoon by a vote OF 3Os
to 81. 1t now goes to the senate, where
favorable action is regarded as assured.
The Iteracy test, about which the
fight against the measure centered, was
sustained 2s4 to l07. This provision has
been the cause OF yetoes OF similar immi-
grafton bills by Presidents Cleveland.
Taft and Wilson. The house passed the
bill over the Cleveland veto, but it failed
in the senate. Motions to override the
vetoes OF President Taft and Wilson
were lost in the house by narrow mar.
gins.
President Still Silent on Bill.
Representative Burnett, chairman of
the immigration committee, predicted
that there was sufficient strength to re.
pass the bill in the event of another
veto. The president has not indicated
his purpose to the house leaders.
Both record votes-on the literacv test
and on the passage OF the bill-were
without regard to party lines. Majority
Leader hitchin voted for the Hteracy
test and for the bill. Minority Leader
Mann voted against the literacy test and
then for the bill.
During the debate Friday the Hum
phrey reciprocal exclusion amendment,
adopted Tuesday, aimed at retaliation
upon British Columbia because OF its eN-
elusion of skilled and unskilled labor
from this and other foreign countries.
was modified upon discovery that it op.
Grated against immigration from Russia
1t was changed so as to make it appli-
1ah IN
Would Exclude Russian Jew.
Representative Bennett OF New York
read to the house a telegram from Louis
Marshall OF New York, pointing out that
the amendment as originally adopted
would interfere with the right of asylum
and saying: so far as the Russian Jew
is concerned, it will exclude him alto
gether, because Russia has steadfastly
forbidden American Jews to enter her
domain, even tho they bear American
passports"
The literacy test, as adopted, would
exclude all aliens over l6 years old.
physically capable of reading, who can
not read English or some other language,
except certain relatives OF persons al
ready in this country and certain classes
of refugees from religious persecution.
Asiatic exclusion provisions specifical-
ly bar Hindus and add to the excluded
classes persons who cannot become eli
gible under existing law to become cit
izens of the United States by naturali-
zation unless otherwise provided for by
existing or future treaties, conventions
or agreements
Coast Members Satisfied.
Pacific coast members were satisfied
with this provision, which gives legisla-
tive recognition to the existing so-called
gentlemen's agreement" with Japan for
the exclusion of Japanese laborers.
Other provisions OF the bill extend and
strengthen the laws regarding smuggling
and harboring OF inadmissible aliens, in
crease the penalties imposed on steam
ship companies for illegal acts in connee-
tion with immigration traffic, require
such companies TO repay passage expense
to rejected aliens. doubles the head tax
from 81 TO $ and impose restrictions de
signed to prevent alien seamsn who
leave their ships from remaining in this
country