The Denver Jewish news., 1919-01-29
Americas Postwar Ispmigra-
ton Policy
Continued from Page One. }

One might justly hold that leaisla-
tion of that kind would lie SO utterly
repugnant to the letter and spirit of
to all its traditions, that it would
be rejected with Indignation 1t may
he. but one cannot be too certain of 1t
in dealing with q Congress that was
often referred to by its critics as spine
less and tickle Whether this critic
ism is right or wrong. it must he adj
mitted that whatever Independence and
determination it showed before the
war. was entirely absent during the
period of the war, and althO the war
is practically over. that spirit still pre-
walls. However. i'll justice to Congress.
ii must be said that it cannot en-
tirely be blamed for this situation. 1t
contains scores of strong. fearless and
able men, but the public does not ell
courage those virtues in them. 1t cX
poets them to yield readily and with
ont demur to every bias and passion
that for the moment sweeps the Gpun-
ny - 'hcS wv bo'' 'hNs h'' b'i''''
ally assassinated For instance. we
well known that many of those who
voted for submitting the prohibition
amendment to the States We're in prin-
cipIe entirely opposed to it and did not
themselves shun drink. Yet so over
whelmingly was public opinion back
at home in favor of the amendment.
that to oppose it would have been
political suicide. The same can prop
erly he said of the Espionage Act
which did vastly more harm than good.
The other day Senator France openly
admitted that he and others voted for
many measures that they opposed in
principle. simply because it was not
safe to do otherwise, and they cannot
very well be condemned for it. Rub'
lie opinion did not understand them
and would not give them hearing.
1t was largely dominated by the lynch
spirit and would assuredly have. fig
urativcly speaking, lynched the pub
lie careers of these dissentcrs to the
mandates Of the Administrati ton i'll the
name Of the war.
Therefore. the fate of any such log
iSlatiOn on Immigration as has been
touched upon in this article. depends
entirely upon the public opinion at the
time the legislation comes up for ac-
tion. Men in Congress are entirely
100 much tcrrorizcd by biased public
opinion for them to assert themselves.
and as for the public, its sentiments
and feelings are so Kaleidoscope i'll
movement that no one can safely
prophcsy where ii will stand on any
given proposition ut any time. No
rCriod in history has been undergoing
such rapid changes. and what today
we. deem an unhealthy state of public
opinion. may transform itself tomor-
row The entire world is in state
of flux and is susceptible to every
Influence. Whenever it cmerges from
that state it will ASSUME definite form
and shape. In the meantime the pros
poets for the potential immigrant are
gloomy indeed official labor is very
hostile to him and wants II complete
suspension of immigra tiOn. not only
for two years but for four years. or
course. il is shortsghtcd and works
against its own as well as public i'll
tcrcSts. 1t has been amply demon
strated that ii greater population ADDS
greater wealth. and that each imlui-
grant is an asset to the country.
On the basis of European popuia-
tions we have room here for five hun
drcd million people. with onc-fifth on
ly of that number now here. If 1t
is said that Europe is too conges'"d.
we still have room for many millions.
and would be much better off than
they arc but as stated. the present
leadership of labor has very narrow
vision and refuses to sec the ll%ht.
II is the enemy of immigration. aitho
it is largely itself the immigration of
yesterday.
However. Things are moving so rap !
idly that it is not at all unlikely thit
labor will, in che near future. dismiss
its medieval leadership and choose one
in keeping with the times and the
modern spirit Then and then only
will we have an enlightened, liberal
and generous Immigration policy. hnu
this country will once more open its
gates for those that ycarn to enter.
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