The citizen., 1920-12-23
FLOOD Of ALIENS
WILL Be CHECKED
IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION is
PRACTICALLY CERTAIN TO BE
ADOPTED THIS SESSION.
DEMAND FOR IT IS GENERAL
Twenty Millions Eager to Come From
Southern and Central Europe and
Germany, and Most Americans Don't
Want Them.
BY EDWARD o. CLARK.

BY EDWARD q. CLARK.
Washington.-Congress. prior to its
death-cOngresses die in the parlance
Of parliaments-will have passed the
supply bills, measure for the relief
OF the farming interests and a bin put
ting check ON immigration-these
three deeds OF accomplishment and
perhaps nothing more except the usual
maximum OF talk for the benefit OF the
Congressional Record.
The immigration situation Is some
thing more than interesting; II Is dan
gerous, and congress knows II. Through
the years the senators and members
have been afraid to leglslate on this
subject In anything like drastic form
The friends Of the immigrants In this
country, naturallzed but unasslmllated,
have votes.
This year things are somewhat diff
ferent From the nature OF the CORE
spondence OF senators and representa-
tives from all parts OF the country II
seems that nearly every kind Of an
American desires TO have the water
gates shut somewhere outside OF Ellis
Island. They will be partly closed. al
though II Il doubtful II an actual stop
page law can be passed so long as In
Sstent appeals come from this class
or that class that exceptions should be
made In certain cases.
Twenty Millions Want to Come.
When the cable dispatches from
abroad and the stories from Ellis Is
land are read, the reasons for the will
lngness of congress to dam the food
are apparent. Allowing for exaggera-
tions II would seem from information
from the south Of Europe, the east OF
Europe and from Germany. that there
are some twenty millions OF foreigners
who want 90 come over here at once
TO pick up the gold with which they
think our streets are lined and TO dig
diamonds from under the sod In our
city parks. American labor is deter
mined that immigration shall stop.
Labor knows how TO make itself felt
In congress. and while there ordinarily
Is some resentment here because OF la
bors lnsistence on Legislation to its
liking. there is very little resentment
In evidence at this time because OF la
boris support of an anti-immigration
measure.
II the stories OF the conditions of
things In Gary. Ind. during the trou-
bles OF n year ago were 10 be read into
the committee records here they proba-
bly, would prove one Of the best argu-
ments for either the stopping of immi-
grafton or its adequate control through
the years. During the war the authori-
ties discovered enough TO make II GER
tain that hundreds of thousands OF i'm
migrants had come into America, not
TO become citizens but TO exploit their
own Views of government, or rather
lack of government, and TO make pros
elytes for their cause.
At Gary. when General Wood took
control OF affairs under the orders OF
the War department, he found that
every man who was preaching vio-
lence, and every man who had guns
and ammunition hidden away for use
when the time came, and every man
who was selling poisonous liquors, was
an alien. Not one American citizen
was found among preachers OF disor-
der and the rlotous disturbers Of peace.
Views OF Many Americans Changed.
One element Of opposition to more
drastic immigration laws which was
much In evidence In the past has dis
appeared from the scene this year.
Heretofore, whenever an attempt was
made 20 do something TO stop the In
fiux OF Europeans, various organlza-
tions whose membership was composed
entirely of Americans of long descent
joined together with various others
to fight immigration legislation.
The Mayilower Americans, II one
may so call them, held 10 the Fathers
thought that this was the land OF ref
uge for the liberty seeking. Bombings
in New York. In Washington and In
other cities during the last year or two,
and the activities of the Reds general
ly have changed the viewpoints Of
good many Americans ON this lmmigra-
ti0n question. Apparently no senator
or representative wants to stop immi-
grafton for any great length of time.
but also apparently most of them have
come TO the belief thar II must be
stopped until the situation can be
looked over and some means found
adequately TO discriminate between
kinds. classes aud conditions of immi-
grants
Cutting Expenses Not Easy.
During the recent campaign constant
promise was made that congress would
cut down the expenses of government.
the rate OF taxation aud many other
(Continued on pa0a Sixl