Denver labor bulletin., 1917-02-03
WILSON VETOES
LITERACY TEST
FOR SECOND TIME
MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED
FURTHER.
President Bases His Objection to I'm.
migration Bill Upon the Educa-
tional Provision Which Would
Bar Aliens Seeking Homes.

President Wilson, Monday of this
week, vetoed the immigration bill
passed by congress. This is the sec
ond veto given the measure by Will
son, and similar bills were vetoed by
Presidents Cleveland and Taft Two
years ago the house lacked only four
votes of the necessary two-thirds ma
jority to pass the bill over the veto,
the yeas being 261 and the nays 136.
The attempt having failed in the
house, no action was taken by the
senate.
When President Taft vetoed SINH
lar measure because of the iteracy
test the senate succeeded in overriding
him by more than a two-thirds major
ity, but the house fell short about a
dozen votes.
The bill which the president vetoed
Monday passed the house last March
by a vote of 308 to 81 and the senate
in December, Ga to Z.
May Pass Bill Over Veto.
Chairman Burnett of the house i'm
migration committee announced that
he would call the bill up and endeavor
to pass il over the veto. Because of
the contested condition of the legis-
lative calendar in congress, however,
it is regarded as unlikely that both
nee essary to pass the bill over the
executive veto. Supporters of the
measure claim a clear two-thirds ma
| jority in both houses.
In his message vetoing the bill,
| President Wilson said:
Il very much regret 20 return this
/ bill without my signature. In most of
| the provisions Of the bill / should be
very glad TO concur, but cannot nd
myself of the conviction that the lit
/ eracy test constitutes a radical change
in the policy Of the nation which is
not justified in principle. 1t is not a
| test Of character, of quality or of per
sonal fitness, but would operate in
most cases merely as a penalty for
lack of opportunity in the country
/ from which the alien seeking admis-
sion came.
Test Unfair TO Aliens.
"The opportunity to gain an educa-
ton is in many cases one of the chief
opportunities sought by the immi-
grant coming into the United States
and our experiences in the past have
not been that the illiterate emigrant
is such an undesirable emigrant. Tests
| of quality and of purpose cannot be
objected to on principle. but tests OF
1 opportunity surely may be.
Moreover, even If this test might
be equitably insisted on, one of the
exceptions proposed to its application
involves a provision which might lead
to n very delicate and hazardous dip
lomatic situation. The bill exempts
from the operation Of the hteracy ties,
all aliens who shall prove to the sat
isfaction of the proper immigration
officers, or to the secretary of labor
that they are seeking admission to the
| United States to avoid religious perse.
cution in the country of their last per.
manent residence, whether such per
secution be evidenced by overt acts oil
by laws or governmental regulations
that discriminate against the alien oil
the race TO which he belongs becaus,
of religious faith"
Officer Has Too Much Power
"Such provision so applied and ad
ministered would oblige the Officer
concerned in effect to pass judgment
on the laws and practices of foreign
government and declare that they die
not constitute religious persecution.
This would, to say the least, be /,
most invidious function for any ad
ministrative officer of this government
to perform and it is not only possibl,
but probable that very serious ques
tions of international justice and com
ity would arise between this govern
mcnt and the government or govern
ments thus officially condemned shoul,
its exercise be attempted. l dare Sd,
that these consequences were not il
the minds of the proponents of thi,
provision, but the provision separated,
and itself renders il unwise for me {,
give my assent to this legislation il
its present form"