The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-05-02
tine IrrERxcy rrsr law.

hthhtH 70 tut OUtt'h St"t'S SHhh WI
dergo a literacy test went into effec;
yesterday. This is the law that was
vetoed by PRECEDENT Taft and twice
met the same fate az the hands Of
President Wilson. However. when
Mr.. Wilson dlsapproved Of !, the last
time there were enough members in
congress to pass the measur over his
veto by the necessary two-thIrds ma
jority.
The %literacy tost proposes in hrici
the exclusion OF aliens who cannot
read in some language or dialect and
was aimed az a class Of Immigrants
far different from the same erour
which might have been affected by
the same exclusion test years ago,
when the best muscle and some OF the
best brains Of Europe. notably from
Ireland. were seeking a new abode in
America.
The test applies only TO aliens Over
ie years Of G and Il IL provided
that any admissible alien, or any
alien heretofore or hereafter legally
admitted. or ans citizen Of the United
States. may bring In or send for his
father or grandfather over 30 years Of
age. his mother. his grandmother of
his unmarried Or widowed daughter.
II otherwise admissible. whether such
relatives can read or not.
Exemptions In tho law are gener-
Gus. Aliens avoiding religious per-
secutIon in the country Of their lat
permanent residence are exempted
from the literacy test, whether such
persecution pc evidenced by overt acts
or by law or governmental regulations
that discriminate against the alien or
the race 10 which he belongs because
OF his religious faith Aliens who
have lived continuous I'm the United
States for five years gain M right
10 go abroad and return within six
months from the date Of departure.
The American Federation OF Labor
has assiduously urged the adoption OF
the iiteracy ties, and II Is doubtful II
this much disputed feature could have
been retained in the bill had organ-
lied labor beer opposed To Il. A new
provision which may not please the
unions as much hut is regarded ms a
necessary offset TO the exclusions
compelled by the literacy test. In one
permitting skilled labor. II otherwise
admissible. 20 be imported II lai.or
OF like kind unemployed cannot be
found In this country. The question
OF the necessity OF importing such
skilled labor may be determined by
the secretary OF labor. but application
must be made before such lmporta-
ton and the secretary OF labor must
have rendered a decision after a fun
hearing and Investigation. The pro-
visions OF the contract labor law arc
not held. however. 20 exclude profess
slonal actors. artists. lecturers. sing
ers. nurses, clergymen. college profess
sors, or other professional men and
womestic servants.
Tho Asiatic exclusion test has been
q source OF grave contention, particu-
larly with the japanese government,
but congress wisely followed the guild
ance OF the state department and
avoided framing the new exclusion
law in language offensive 10 the sen
sitivc japanese. No nationality O,
race Is Indicated by name, and the ex-
%clusion applies only TO residents oI
whatever specified territory may cX.
lat between certain parallels ~ llt.-
tudo and longitude. After 3he bill haa
passed the house it, language was
modified by request Of Baron Chindi
the then Japanese ambassador and
although "a sensational story go
about 10 the effec, that fresh ohiec.
ton 10 the exclusion clnupe had bcor
raised by the japanese government
this was fourd not to Do true. Even
with respect 20 Asiatics the eNclu.
sions ara broad, tho let Of eNomp.
lions Including ministers or religious
tenchers nit VARIES, lawyers. phys
iclan, chemists, ciyil e%ngineers. teach.
ors. students, authors. artists. mer
chants ana travellers y their lcga
wives and TIER children under NJ
years ~ age The new law does no
repeal the Chinese exclusion act.
II II not contendod by the fostererr
Of the law that II o. perfect or that i
will remedy an our immigration evils
But Il was realized that something
should be done 70 take up some Of th'
slack in our immigration laws ant
this was the first step In that direc.
ZION other legislation II bound q
come from time 10 time and eventual
iy W. shah have "a law that viii keep
out most " not all. Of the foreign un
desirabies.
SHOUID PROVIDE MORE CARS.