Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-02-01
PRESIDENT vETOd
IMMIGRATION b
Again Follows in Footstep]
Cleveland and Taft in I'D
fusing Signature.
LlTERACY TEST OBJECT
t'lans 10 Override Veto Have nrc1
guN---Chn mpions Of Ril! VIII ~
LITERACY TEST OBJECT
rlans 10 Override Veto Have Nrcl
gu~---Chn npions Of mi. viii ~,
'bIy Move for Vote Thursdn,

Misunderstanding sean, Jan H-l
dent Wilson to-day vetoed the inn
iion oil! passed recently b. Congress
cause OF its litcr@cy test provision
II vas the second time tina:
cent wilson had vetoed IN .mn'igt
bill because Of tho literat-y test. an
tho same reason similar meas l-es
given vctocs by PRESIDENTS T.fs
Cleveland.
THE VETO MESSAGE
ne PRESIDENTS veto message +,
House. IN which tie bill originate ed
lows
y very much regret 20 return nil
without my signature.
n most of the provisions of tby
should DC very glad to concur.
cannot rid myself OF the conviction
the litcracy test constitutes a raj
change in the policy of the nation ",
is not justified in principle 1t IA
a test of character, of quality. 4
personal fitness. but would operaI
most cases merely as penalty for|
Of opportunity in tho country
which the alien seeking admit
came. The opportunity to gain AMI
cation is in many cases one of the
opportunities sought by the immid
in coming to the United states
our experience in the past has not
that the illiterate immigrant ia
such. an undesirable immigrant 1
of quality and of purpose cannot b'
jacted to on principle, but tests OF
portunity surely may he.
Moreover, even If this test mi-l
eouitably insisted on one of the q,
tions proposed to its application
wolves provision which might let
very delicate and hazardous diplor
situations.
The bill exempts from the o.
ton of the literacy test all a
who shall prove to the satisfa
of the proper immigration office
to the secretary of labor that
are seeking admission to the L
States to avoid religious persec'
in the country of their last perma
residence, whether such persec
be evidenced by overt acts or by
or governmental regulations that
criminate against the alien or the
to which he belongs because OF
religious faith.
such a provision. so applied
administered. would oblige the OF
concerned in effect to pass judg
upon the laws and practices of a
eiEn government and declare
they did or did not constitute reli
prosecutions.
This would. to say the least.
most invidious function for any
| ministrative officer Of this go
ment to perform. and it is not
possible but probable that very
ious questions of international il
and comfy would arise betW cen
! government and the governmer
| governments thus officially
demned should its exercise be ado
II dare say that these ConseQu
were not in the minds of the
ponentS of this provision, but the
vision separately and in itself
ders il unwise for me to give m.
sent to this legislation in its pr
! form"
! FATE OF SIMILAR BILLS.
| When the message was read i
House it was ordered to lie on the
until Thursday morning. and cham
of the bill began laying their plan
an effort to override the veto. Chat
Burnett announced tonight that he
move for vote Thursday. Two
ago the House lacked only four Vo'
the necessary two-thirds majority tc
! the hill over the veto. the yeas bell
and the nays 1876. The attempt h
! failed in the House. no action Was
by the Senate.
! When President Taft vetoed 81
measure because of the lteracy ties
Senate succeeded in overriding hi
more than "A two-thirds ma jcrty, bl
House fell short about dozen vot
Shc bill which the President Veto
day passed the House last March
vote of 3OS to 81 and the Senate in d
/ her nv 81