Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-08
IMMIGRATION BILL
IS NOW A LAW
Senate Passes Measure Over
President Wilson's Veto by
Vote of 81 to 19.
LITERACY TEST PROVIDED.
New BiI1 Immediately Appears in House
Limiting Alien Arrivals In L. $.
20 2OO.OOO Ycnriy.

Washing IN, Feb. 5.--Congrcs has
overriddcn n veto By President Wilson
for the first tire and enacted into law
the immigration bill with it's long,
Fought nteracy test provision. The
Senate voted late to-day 60 to I 0 to pass
the measure Notwithstanding the veto
and in spite OF eleventh hour nforma-
ton that Japan again had protested
against the language Of the Asiatic ex-
olusion section. Those voting to over
ride the veto were 80 democrats and %
republicans. Those yotilg to sanction
it were II democrats and eight rcpub-
Leans.
The House overturned tho veto last
week by vote OF 2S7 to t06 SO the
ScnHte's action ends the contest of 20
years standing in which three Presi-
dents have rcpudiated similar bills
passed by Congress.
The International situation was
brought into the closing debate in tho
senate. Senator Reed calling attention
to the Japanese objection and pleading
that nothing be done at this time to
disturb or impair the country's rela-
tions with n friendly nation. Senator
Smith of South Carolina, chairman of
the immigration committee. answered
with the declaration that the present
| state Of international affairs emphasize
ed the necessity for pure, homogeneous
! American people, such as the bill was
| intended to protect. Senators Dilling-
ham ana Page of Vermont were among
| the % republicans voting to override
| the veto.
| Senator Reed communicated nforna
! ton from the state department to the
| effect that the japanese embassy had
called attention to language in the bill
providing that no alien now lin any
| wav" excluded from entry into the
| United States would IN future be per
| mittpd to enter. lie said the criticism
was based on their belief that this Ian
| guage wrote in to law the Root-Taka-
! hira gentlemens passport agreement
against the entry of japanese iaborers.
| Senator Lodge of Massa chusetts, rank
ing republican member of tie foreign re-
Ilatiuns committee, explained the progress
of the provisions to which Japanese OBJ
lection has been voiced in the various
stages of such legislation. He said when
the present bill went to conference it
was decided to phrase the language 50
as to exclude all aliens in any way
excluded or prevented from entering the
United States. 1t applies to all the
world" said he. "It does not in my
Judgment touch the treaty of 1911 tthe
treaty with japan. which is modified by
| the so-caled gentlcmen's agreement) at
all. They desired that we not make any
iallusion to the gentlemens agreement and
we've maze none we nave cast no rc-
| Hect'oh on any rdCe 'h ild"c no "lSci ~
NATION. Inc sen'ienlch agreement WI.
20 right on IL Japah eilooseS ~ upno'o
IT,
! he vote OF poth house ana senate
! declared Chairman Sml'h' is a clear eus
| expression Of The sentiment of the Ameri-
! can people on the two fundamental prin-
cipies involved in this biII-nameiy, the
! economical and political principles
! economic in that 1t was apparent TO all
students that resources yet to be de-
| veloped should now be regarded as a
patrimony of real Americans and not to