Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-02
A Just Veto.

The injustice and unreasonableness of the
1teracy test provision of the immigration bill
statad unanswersbly. think. in single sem
tenee OF the Presidents veto:
TT is not a test of character or of quality
o. Of personal fitness. bat would operate in
most merely penalty for lack OF
opportunity in the country from which the
alien seeking admission came"
Stringent tests OF physical and mental fitness
and, far possible, OF moral fitness. there un-
-quessonably Ought to De But immigrants
abilry or inability to read or write has nothing
do with those essentials than has the color
Of his hair the size of his shoe; indeed not half
20 much. The immigrant who is llfterate upon
Handing may be substantially educated few years
later and. as the President points out, education
Dis IN many cases one of the chief opportunities
sought by those who knock at our gates. If the
question naturalization. then he teracy test
would be clearly %5ustihabIe; but it seems wholly
Irrelevant to soundness of body and mind and up
Brightness of character. which the vital things
90 be considered In admitting and excluding i'm
migrants
Even il the Hterarcy test itself were defensible,
In the pending measure il is involved with another
issue nIfed with menace to foreign relations.
The hm exempts from the Eteracy test "alI aliens
who shall prove to the satisfaction of the proper
that they are seeking admission to the United
States to avoid religious persecution in the country
Of their last permanent residence. whether such
persecution be evidenced by overt acts by laws
or governmental regulations that discriminate
Aagainst the alien or the to which he belongs,
because Of religious faith" The President makes
plain what q diplomatic hazard this would be
when he says in further explanation of his veto:
Such provision, so applied and admin
istered would obIige the officer concerned in
effect to pass judgment upon the laws and
practices of a foreign Government and declare
that they did did not constitute religious
persecution. This would to say the least,
= be most invidious function for any admins
trative oficer of this Government to perform,
and il is not only possible but probable that
very serious questions of international justice
and comfy would arise between this Govern
ment and the Government Governments
thus officially condemned. should It's exercise
be adopted"
For the United States risk diplomatic compli-
cations over a question which there is no need of
preaching would be unvise at any time, but ex-
ceedingy so at time when America is likely TO be
called upon for counsel and service in reconstruct
ing international affairs.
That the present standards. on which aliens are
admitted to the United States are much in need
of being raised, there is gainsaying; and for
that reason the presence of the unreasonable
Hterarcy test provision in otherwise admirable
measure is the regrettable. immigration
bills containing that provision have been vetoed
four different times-by President Cleveland, by
President Taft and twice by President Wilson. Is
il not deeply significant that none of them would
take the responsibility of permitting such a bill
to become law?