Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-12-11
Amendment
ToJ johnson
Bill Wins
Proposed Prohibition Against
immigration to United States
Cut From Two Years to
Fourteen Months.
Is Victory for Opponent:


Washington. Dec. 10---Amend<
ment of the Johnson bill to reduce
the two-year prohibition against im>
migration to the United States tu
IA months and charges that foreign
governments are financing the move
ment of radicals to the United
States" marked another day OF de!
bate in the house on immigration
legislation.
Adoption by vote of 81 to Is Of
the amendment offered by Represen-
tative Mann, republican OF Illinois, 10
reduce the embargo period was a
surprise to advocates of the legisla-
ton and constituted the first victory
for Representatives Siegel. repub-
lican,. New York and SABBATH, demo-
crat, Illinois, leaders of the opposi-
ton. Proponents of the bill, how
ever, were not dismayed and said
they were confident of favorable
disposition of the measure before adj
journment tomorrow.
The Mann amendment actually
limits the restriction period to ono
year, reducing by one-half the period
originally proposed. AS amended,
the bill cannot be enforced for two
months after passage and can be
applied only "A months from the date
of passage. .>
Philippines Exempted.
Another amendment offered by
Representative Mann eXempting the
Philippine Islands from application
of the measure was adopted. The
Illinois member, in offering the
amendment, said the Philippines
might soon obtain their independence
and further legislation by this gov
ernment was not desirable.
The days debate developed 3
strengthening of forces opposing
the bill Representative Mann and
other influential members an
nounced their opposition to the
measure. Reasons given for oppos-
ing it covered wide field Of sub
jects, including charges of laxiry
against the administration in enforc-
ing existing laws; that the bill was
extreme and radical, leading to per-
manent restriction of immigration;
that it would deny asylum TO "op-
pressed peoples including the Irish,
and return them to tyrannica! gov
ernments" for punishment.
Fears Effect of Measure.
Representative Mann, in an ad-
dress opposing the measure, said he
was apprehensive that the British
government is likely to adopt more
drastic methods than it has up to
the present time in dealing with
the "deplorable condition in Ireland"
and that under the terms of the
bill IF an Irishman seeks to escape
from the drastic measures adopted
by the British government and sue
ceeds in getting a vessel which will
carry him from his own shores and
land him in America, he will be re-
turned by us to the British govern
ment to be tried and convicted of
treason and perhaps to be hung"
Representative Knutson, republi-
can, Minnesota, whip of the house,
provided one Of the sensations OF
the days discussions with the state
nlent that he was willing to state
"on my reputation as member Of
the house that foreign governments
are financing the movement of rad
icals from several countries in Eu-
rope, moving them over here" He
added that while before ,the war
immigration from Spain was prac-
tically unknown" on a recent visit
to Ellis island he had found 1000
immigrants from Spain who had ar
rived in one day.
Spain in seething mass of an.
archy," he declared, "and that gov
ernment is gathering these anar-
chists up and dumping them on to
u.s." .s