The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-30
PRESIDENT VETOED
IMMIGRATION BILL
1t Was the Second Time He Has Done 1t
Because of the Literacy Test--Pres-
idents Taft and Cleveland Had
Taken Similar Positions.

Washington, ID. c., Jan. 30.--President
Wilson yesterday vetoed the inmigra-
tion bill passed recently by Congress, be-
cause of its literacy test provision.
| 1t was the second time that President
Wilson had vetoed an immigration bill
because of the literacy test, and for the
same reason similar measures were given
vetoes by Presidents Taft and Cleveland
| The presidents veto message to the
House, in which the bill originated, fol-
lows:
very much regret to return this bill
without my signature.
"In most of the provisions of the bill
/ should be very glad to concur, but |
cannot rid myself of the conviction that
the literacy test constitutes radical
change in the policy of the nation which
is not justified in principles. 1t is not
a test of character, of equality, or of
personal fitness, but would operate in
most cases merely as a penalty for lack
of opportunity in the country from
which the alien seeking admission came.
The opportunity to gain an education is
in many cases one of the chief oppor-
tunities sought by the immigrant in
coming to the United States and our ex
perience in the past has not been that
the illiterate immigrant is as such an
undesirable immigrant. Tests of quali
ty and of purpose cannot be objected to
on principle, but tests of opportunity
surely may be.
Moreover, even if this test might be
equitably insisted on one of the excep-
tions proposed to its application involves
provision which might lead to very
delicate and hazardous diplomatic situ-
ations.
''The bill exempts from the operation
OF the literacy test all aliens who shall
prove to the satisfaction of the proper
immigration officer or to the secretary
of labor that they are seeking admission
to the United States to avoid religious
persecution in the country of their last
permanent residence, whether such per
secution be evidenced by overt acts or
by laws or governmental regulations
that discriminate against the alien or the
race to which he belongs because of his.
faith
"Sueh provision, so applied and ad-
would oblige the officer con-
eerned in effect to pass Judgment upon
the laws and practices of a foreign gov
ernment and declare that they did or
did not constitute religious prosecutions.
"This would, to say the least, be
most invidious function for any admin
officer OF this government to
perform, and it is not only possible but
probable that very serious questions of
justice and comfy would
arise between this government and the
government or governments thus off
cially condemned should its exercise be
adopted.
81 dare say that these consequences
were not in the minds of the proponents
Df this provision, but the provision sep |
arately and in itself renders it unwise
for me to give my assent to this legis-
ation in its present FORM"
When the message was read in the |
House it was ordered to lie on the table |
until Thursday morning, and champions |
of the bill began laying their plans for
IN effort to override the veto. Chair
nan Burnett announced last night that 4
ne would move for vote Thursday. Two /
years ago the House lacked only four
Sotes of the necessary two-thirds ma
ority to pass the bill over the veto, the I
yeas being 26l and the nays 1856. The
Ittempt having failed in the House, no
lction was taken in the Senate.
When President Taft vetoed similar
Measure because of the lieracy test the
senate succeeded in overriding him by
more than two-thirds majority but
he House fell short about dozen votes.
The bill which the president vetoed
passed the House last aMrch
" vote of 30s to 81 and the Senate in
December by GA to 7.