The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1920-12-03

long been of grave concern to
economic thinkers. Our problem
is to sift the desirable from the
undesirable element which pours
through our gates. Various
schemes have been suggested and
all have some weak points. The
Miami Herald says OF a bill
which is about to be introduced;
Representative Albert johnson, of
Washington, chairman of the house
committee on immigration, has an.
nounced that in the next session OF
Congress a bill will be introduced
urging the placing of more stringent
restrictions upon the tidal wave OF
immigration which is already drown
ing us. This news will be received
with enthusiasm by all the forward
looking, thoughtful citizens of today
who have seen in this new influx OIL
foreigners a menace which should
not be minimized.
The great danger in this new horde
of immigrants lies in the fact that
they are not coming as our fathers
came to this country, to become IN
tegral parts of it, to assist in raising
its standards, to carry out its great
pioneer program. They are OF
very different type. They come to
our shores simply because they see
here a commercial opportunity. They
desire to make money and they have
little or no idea either of identifying
themselves with the best things in
the country or of becoming citizens
in ANYTHING like the true sense OF
the word.
If their coming here is therefore
of an economic nature alone, we are
not only thoroughly justified, but i'm
PEELED, to recognize the problem they
present as an economic one. We
have already in this country large
masses of unassimilated- foreigners.
They form the great bulk OF our un-
skilled labor. They do not adapt
themselves with American standards
of cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene.
They form a very formidable element
with which, sooner or later, we must
reckon.
To say that these immigrants
should be welcomed simply because
they mean quantities of cheap labor,
is to be blind even to superficial
values. This country has enough
problems induced by unskilled and
cheap labor already. They must be
solved somehow, in common justice.
But they will never be solved, chey
will only be augmented, by this new
horde.
1t is high time that we recognized
this and it is enthusiastically to be
hoped that when this bill is intro
duced it will be unanimously adopt
ed. There is little need to haggle
over the type of restrictions. Any
and all will be welcome"
Debate will bring out the
strong and weak points of the
new bill but it is encouraging to
know that the subject is to be to
the front at the coming session
The Democrats are sort of talk.
ing things over since the cyclone
struck. It's perfectly natural
and the Republicans took ac.
count of stock after the Taft
defeat. There seems to be q
notion that there will be some
sort of reorganization later but
there is a disposition to wait and
see if the mistakes of the Repub.
lican administration won't fur.
nish them a good working basis
which is quite a good Demo.
cratic doctrine. But here is
what some of the Democratic
leaders are saying the Republi-
cans have to do to carry out
their pledges:
They must cut taxes, reduce the
cost of living, build up a big foreign
business, reestablish the debated and
debased foreign currency, enact legis-
lation in the interest Of the man who
offered his life over seas, offer better
facilities for education, build better
roads, do something to make the
provisions of the Volstead law more
effective instead of being a loophoie
by which to evade the law, do some
thing for the woman voters, who
were largely responsible for sweep.
ing them into victory, and perform
many other modern wonders and
miracles written on their legislative
slate.
1t seems as if Sen. Harding was
rather more conservative in his
promises that this outline would
indicate, but it shows that the
Democrats know they have stir.
red up a pretty kettle Of fish
for their successors to simmer
off.
Sec'y Baker must be a born
Spectator or at least he courts
taking chances. He has recently
issued a blanket invitation to all
citizens to report War Depart
ment errors. Now's your chance.
speak up and tell Mr. Baker how
it should have been done.