Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-01-30
President Wilson Vetoes Immigration Measure for
 the Second Time.
EXEMPTION CLAUSE
 ALSO EXCEPTED TO
In Veto Message to House, President Points Out That Admission Of Immigrants on Plea of Persc-
 cutiOn Would Involve T.. $.

l Washington, Jan. 29.---President Wilson today vetoed the immigration ! bill, passed re9enily by congress. be. cause of it's literacy test provision. 1t was the second time President i Wilson had vetoed tue immigration | bill because of the literacy test, and 1 for the same reason similar measures were given vctces by Presidents Taft and Cleveland.
 The presidents veto message to the house, in which the bill originated, | follows:
 q very much regret to return this bill without my signature.
 "ln most of the provisions of the bill l should be very glad to concur, but I dannot rid myself of the con- viction that the lteracy test consti tutes radical change in the policy of the natiAn which is unjustfied in principle. It is not test of char adter, of quality, or of personal fit- ness, but would operate in most cases merely as penalty for lack of oppor tunity in the country from which the alien seeking admission came.
 ''The opportunity to gain an edu- | chief opportunities sought by the im- migrant when coming to the United States, and our experience in the past has not been that the illterate immi- { grant is as such an undesirable i'm migrant Test of quality, and of pur- pose cannot be objectel to on princi- 1 pie, but test of opportunity surely can be.
 Trouble-Making Clause.
 Moreover. if this test might be equitably insited upon, one of the ex- ceptiOns proper to it's application in- wolves provision which might lead O very delicate and hazardous diplo- matid situations. The bill exempts from operation of the literacy tel all aliens who shall prove to the sat- isfacton 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 persecution is evidenced by overt acts, or by laws, or governs mental regulations that discriminate against the alien or the race to which he belongs because of religi- ous faith Such a provision, so ap- piled and administered, would oblige the officer doncerned in effect to pass judgment upon the laws and practices of foreign government. and declare that they did or did not constitute re- | ligious persecution. This would, to say the least, be most invidious function for any administrative off cer of the government, and it is not only possible, but probable that very serious questions of international jus f tice and domity would arise between this government and the government or governments thus officially con- demned, should it exercise be adopt ed.
 "I dare say that the consequences were not in the minds of the pro- ponest of the provision, but the pro- vision separately and in itself rend- CTS it unwise for me to give my ap- rproval to this legislation in it's pres- ent form."
 Plan to Override Veto. When the message was read in the house, it was ordered to lie on the table until Thursday, and champions of the bill began laying plans to over- 1 ride the veto. Chairman Burnett of the immigration committee said the house would vote on the question Thursday.
 Two years ago the house lacked only IA votes of the nedessary two- Thirds to pass the bill over the veto. the yeas being 261 and nays 136. The attempt having failed in the house, no action was taken by the senate. When President Taft vetoed a simi- lar bill because of the literaey test, the senate succeeded in passing t over the veto by more than the neces- sary two-thirds majority. The house fell short by 12 votes.
 r The present bill was passed in the house by a vote of 30S to ST, and n fthe senate by GA to z.