The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-08-26
A NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD
IMMIGRATION

SOHRItbS Will HOt hCt tills bCboiOIl
on the immigration measure. Presi-
dent Wilson'has been credited with
sending to Congressional leaders the
direct intimation that If it passed he
should veto it. In the circumstances,
and in view of the fact that Congress
has always failed to pass such q
measure over the Executive veto,
there will be no use pressing the
matter further.
1t will be better that the whole
question go over until after election.
Very manifestfy, the country is look
ing at this question of admitting
aliens by the million in a changed
light. Questions have been raised,
SINCE the war in Europe started, that
are not easily to be answered, nor
casually. 1t has been brought to the
attention Of the country by the
Citizenship Bureau, for instance,
that there are some fourteen million
persons of alien birth in this country,
who are still citizens ftheir native
countries, because they have taken
no measures to make themselves
citizens of the United States.
Citizenship in this country is not
the precious boon, priced by the I'M
ofrtunate, the poor, and the down.
trodden, grasped eagerly by them at
every opportunity. That is the cold
truth. People come here in millions,
to live, to earn money, to better their
conditions generally; but for some
reason we have not made our citizen
ship attractive enough to interest
nearly all Of these newcomers. It is
not so much their fault, probably, as
the fault Of the laws and their adj
ministration.
It ought to be made worth while
for every resident in this country
to become a citizen of it. There
should be distinct advantages which
would draw every immigrant to the
citizenship bureau as one of the first
duties to be performed after becom-
ing domiciled in this country. II it
is mere thoughtlessness, ignorance,
lack of interest, that causes millions
upon millions of people to neglect SO
obvious duty to themselves and the
country, then it must be said that
the country is under necessity to de-
termine whether it wants or desires
SO many of that sort of quasi-citi-
zens; citizens who are no citizens.
The literacy test, by all expert
ence, has been brought under con-
demnation. It is not the right way
to determine whether an immigrant
should be admitted. Perhaps there
is no great need for severer restric.
tions upon entrance to the country
Perhaps the weakness is in oui
methods of dealing with the immi.
grants after they get here. We are
not assimilating them so fast as we
should.
Under the immigration and citi.
zenship organizations, the last few
years have seen some valuable &C.
complishment in the direction OF
teaching citizenship, and making II
understood and priced. But moi
nearly enough has been done; moi
large enough provision has bser
made for handling the great task
that needs attention. Whether there
shall be a great increase of immi
grafton Immediately after the war
it may confidently be expected thai
before many years the flow of i'm
migration will resume something
like its normal; probably it will con
tinue to increase, once normals arr
restored; for continuing increase ha.
long been its normal condition
Broad, intelligent, constructive meas
ures are needed to deal with thi.
question in it's largest aspects.