Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-14
Melting Pot, Limited

On May |, 1917, will take effect the first immi-
grafton act, containing llteracy test provision,
ever to pass the congress OF the United States; a
bill enacted into law only after the veto OF PresI-
dent Wilson had been overridden For the present
this probably ends the discussion OF the advisa-
bllity of the literacy test a discussion that has
held attention for years within and without the
halls of congress. When the act becomes effec-
tive little more than two months hence it will
supersede practically all of the immigration laws
that have been placed on the statute books in the
last thirteen years.
The new law is identical in many respects with
the bill passed by the last congress which was
vetoed by President Wilson and failed to pass
over his veto by only few votes 1t is more
famous for its literacy clause than for any other
feature, but while this may be its most sensa-
tional claim to public notice, it is codifIcation
and re-enactment of tumble of immigration laws
on the statute books. Were the literacy test not
in the bill the measure still would be one of the
greatest importance for the reforms in the immi-
grafton service which it prescrbes The teracy
test proposes in brief the exclusion of aliens who
cannot read in some language or dialect, and was
aimed at a class of immigrants far different from
same group which might have been affected by
the same exclusion test say fifty years ago, when
the best muscle and some of the best brains of
Europe, notably from Ireland were seeking our
shores. Exemptions in the bill are generous; and
one OF the arguments in defense of the teracy
test has been that persons otherwise eligible could
qualify Tor admission to the United States by
merely learning to read. The test applies only
to aliens over 10 years of age; and it provided
that any admissible alien, or any alien heretofore
or hereafter legally admitted, or any citizen of
the United States, may bring in or send for his
father or grandfather over ffty-hve years of age,
his wife, his mother, his grandmother his un-
married or widowed daughter, if otherwise ad-
mssbe, whether such relatives can read or not.
The reading test will be of not less than thirty
or more than forty words in ordinary use, printed
in lcgible type in an appropriate language or dia-
lect.
Aliens avoiding religious persecution in the
country OF their last permanent residence are
exempted from the literacy test, whether such
persecution be evidenced by overt acts or by law
or governmental regulations that discriminate
against the alien Of his race to which he belongs
because of his religious faith" Aliens who have
lived continuously in the United States gain the
right to go abroad and return within six months
from the date of their departure
The American Federation of Labor has assid-
uously urged the adoption of the literacy test
and it is doubted if this much disputed feature
could have been retained in the bill had organized
labor been opposed to it. A new provision, which
may not please the unions much but is regarded
as necessary offset to the exclusions compelled
by the teracy test is one permitting skilled labor
if otherwise admissible, to be imported if labor
of like kind cannot be found in this country.
lHc question Vi inc Necessity OF importing Sucn
skilled labor may be determined by the secretary
OF labor, but application must be made before
such importation and the secretary of labor must
have rendered decision after full hearing and
investigation. The provisions of the contract
labor law are not held, however to exclude pro-
fessonal actors artists, lecturers, singers nurses
clergymen, college professors or other profess
sional men and domestic servants.
The Asiatic exclusion test has been a source
of grave contention, particularly with the Jap
anese government, but congress has wisely fol-
lowed the guidance of the State department and
avoided framing the new exclusion law in Ian
guage offensive to the sensitive japanese No
nationality or race is indicated by name, and the
exclusion applies only to residents OF whatever
specified territory may exist between certain par
allels Of latitude and longitude. After the bill
had passed the house its language was modified
by request of Baron Chnda, the then Japanese
and although sensational story got
about to the effect that fresh objection to the
exclusion clause had been raised by the Japanese
government this was found not to be true Even
with respect to Asatics the exclusions are broad
and include ministers or religious teachers. mis-
sionaries, lawyers, physicians, chemists, civil engi-
neers, teachers, students, authors, artists, mer-
chants and travellers and their legal wives and
their children under 10 years of age The new
law will not repeal the Chinese exclusion act
The section relating to the solicitation of
aliens to enter the country by transportation COM
panies, owners and masters of vessels, ETC., now
carries heavy penalty ($40O) for each offense
and persistent violation of the law by steamship
company will render it liable to the revocation Of
its privilege OF landing alien immigrants here.