Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-20
TEMPORARY ALIEN
BAN FINDS Strong
SUPPORT IN SENATE
Thirty Members Approve
Suspension of immigration
Pending Legislation.
rs INTERVIEWED AGREE
4 NEW LAWS ARE NEEDED
Committee, However, Likely to Re-
port Bill Providing Merely
for Restriction.

SUmuittCC, 0OWSSCA, AAhSAy w ~
port Bill Providing Merely
for Restriction.
Strong sentiment in favor Of tempo
rary suspension of immigra ton into the
United States exists in the Senate. a
canvass Of that body just completed
reveals.
A total of seventy-five senators were
interviewed, and thirty of them said
they would approve suspension Of i'm
an opportunity to consider the whole
question of immigration carefully and
TO enact further permanent restrictive
legislation. Thirty-three senators with
held their Judgment. desiring further
opportunity TO study the question and
TO obtain the judgment of the Senate
Committee on immigration. which takes
up the question tomorrow Only twelve
senators said they were opposed to tenn
porary suspension. The remaining
tventy-one senators were absent.
Not one OF the senators interviewed
failed to agree that. in view of the con-
Gitions created and revealed by the war.
some further legisla ton to restrict i'm
migration and keep the undesira bles out
Committee for Restriction.
While sentiment among the MEM
bers of the Senate committee on i'm
migration is pretty evenly divided re-
garding the advisability of temporary
Auspension of immigration. the pre-
ponderance likely will be against
such a plan in reporting out an i'm
migration bill and in favor of iegis-
fation merely restricting immigration
Of Aft I'd fca<4lN "
will be made to amend the bill, il il
be reported from the committee with
out provision for suspension of i'm
migration
When the committee begins its
work tomorrow two questions will be
before 1t: First, the need, If any, for
emergency legislation to meet the
reported rush of immigration to the
United States. and. second, the need
for permanent restrictive legislation
The committee will have before 1t the
House bill. which suspends immisrn-
ton for the period of year. 1t Will
have before it, too. the bills intro
duced by Senator Dillingham; Of Yer
mont, repubIican. and Senator Steri-
ing Of South Dakota. ren1hllcan. both
n3eMbees ~ the cQ,uMi1 @HkezedtA&
fac restrictive legislation only. based
ON the admission of percentage of
the various races and nationaHties
and races now within the borders of
the United States. -
The committee also will have before
il bills introduced by two ofhers smenn-
bers Of the committee, Senators King
Of Utah and Harris Of Georgia, both
democrats, extending the period of
suspension of immigration beyond the
limit set in the House bill. and several
other similar bills
senffneat Of Coamittee.
A canvass Of the committee itself
shows on the question of temporary
suspension of immigration four
ayes" four noes" three non conn
INITIAL and tWo members absent OF the
rAree put down as non-committal. how
ever, tive. Chairman Colt and Senator
keyes of New Hampshire. are inclined
10 favor restrictive legislation rather
than suspension, it is believed The
two senators absent are Penrose Of
Pennsylvania and Pheian of Califor-
mia, who are likely to split on the
question, with Phelan for suspension
and Penrose against ii.
Senator Colt of Rhode Island, dis
cussing the matter informally, said:
Il have always been inclined to be
liberal on the question of immigra-
ton I am not prepared now to say
what my final attitude will be In re-
gard to temporary suspension OF Inn
migration The investigation which
the committee is about to begin Will
show whether there is horde Of i'm
migrants preparing to come to the
United States, as has been reported.
am not yet convinced that such is
the case. particularly in view Of the
figures in recent months obtained
from the bureau Of immigration.
Involved. One relates to the need of
emergency legislation owing to condi-
tiops following the war. and the other
relates to permanent restrictive legis-
iation."
senator France of Maryland. repub-
hcan, is prepared to take up the
cudRels for the Irish and the Jews de-
string to come to this country.
France fer Restriction.
Il do not believe he said. that
1t would be wise to suspend all i'm
migration. though I am in favor of
swouid keep out undesirables. do
not believe that under the hard con-
ditions existing in the world today
The bar should be raised against the
Jews OF the Irish 1 shall offer an
amendment to any immigration bill
that may be reported. eXempting the
!ews ard the Irish. We could very
well bring all the Irish over here.
rhe Jews make good citizens. as do
The Irish. they have no country of
their own. unless the United States.
where they are free from persecu-
tion, can be SO considered"
Senator Jones of Washington, re-
publican, declared himself heartily
in favor OF temporarily suspending
immigration.
Il think it would be well 20 sus-
pend all immigration until We can
decide upon a permanent policy" he
said. I'VE have too many aliens in
this country who have not been as
Island not long ago. and there was
a man there who had been a resi-
dent of this country for fifteen years
who could not speak English That
. Is proof in point OF what l mean"
Senator Pittnan of Nevada, a dem
ocrat. took the position that Congress
should be able TO pass a law that
would keep out the undesirables while
still admitting to the country the de-
sirable immigrants Senator Oyerynan
ri North Carolina, democrat, Is in
favor Of extending to five years the
period of suspension Of immigration,
Requires Careful study.
The immigration question. "said
Senator Phipps of Colorado, lis one
that will require careful study before
We reach a decision. While i am NOT
prepared to say that the information
we will receive would not warrant a
suspension Of immigration temporari.
ly, there are many factors to be con-
sidered- There Is the need of labor
on the farms in the west. in the mines
and in the Industries Of the country
I mean the unskiIled labor. In many
sections of the country the American.
are not willing to engage in such
labor. nor are the children of the inn
migrants"
Senator Ransdell. while declarine
tSet he had an open mind on the
question Of suspension of immigra-
tion, pointed out that II all immi8ra-
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