The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-09-05

ing the Immigrant" dealt with the
problem of refining the immigrant
and making him a good American
citizen.
During the first 100 years of our
national life," he said, I'VE were
anxious to have new men and wo-
men come to our shores and we
! welcomed all corners. Up TO that
time the immigrants could have a
home for the asking, and most OF
them went to the land.
"The available unoccupied lands
were gradually taken up and at
the same time the great industries
of the cities developed and began
to demand great armies OF men 10
operate their factories. 1t is This
,, ra pidly growing tendency of the I'M
migrants to congregate in large
groups in the great industrial CEN
tiers that makes the problem OF
handling the immigrant a serious
one. The subject is delicate one
and one that is difficult to discuss
freely without danger Of being un's-
understood. 1t is a problem, how
ever, that must be met promptly
and with courage and yet Win
cnar1Ly anu JUSTICE
1sMake-Shift Measure
The speaker reviewed the efforts
of congress toe deal with the PROB
lem, and stigmatized the senate
measure which finally prevailed, as
"a make-shift measure which is I'M
lust alike TO the immigrant, and
| to us"
What then should be done? is
the question you and l ask each
other" Justice Thompson contin-
ued. What 1 shall say on the sub
ject is the view of an individual.
/ do not represent any department
of our government or any group
or organization of citizens. l
speak from knowledge gained
from my study of the subject and
my conversations with men and
women who have come to this coun-
try from foreign lands and who
desire that their chosen home shall
be preserved for their children and
their children's children. From
what l have been able to learn,
this problem is being watched with
great concern by those people who
have voluntarily chosen this as
their home and who have promptly
assumed the responsibilities of
American citizenship.
After the permanent establish
ment of this nation the first people
to immigrate to this country in
ilarge numbers were the Irish Fig
ures of the immigration bureau
show that during the 30-year period
from 1920 to 1850 the Irish con-
tributed more than tWo-fifths of all
our immigrants.
Following the revolution OF 1S4S
in Germany great numbers of
people left that country and came
to the United States. The Scandi
navian countries, the Netherlands
and the Mediterranean countries
have also contributed very heavily
| to our immigrant population in the
last so years. In this county
there are striking examples of those
| immigrants whom we gladly well
| come to make their homes among
| us. The majority of the population
| of Rock Island county is less than
| three generations removed from
Swedish and Belgian ancestors.
Every country of Europe is rep
resented in the population of this
part of Illinois and yet we have
never had the slightest racial
trouble. The problem of immigra-
ton has not in the past affected
US. The Immigrant has been one
! OF the chief factors in building I'D
these great industrial cities. They
have, with few exceptions, immedi-
ately declared their intention to
| become citizens and have, shortly
a haf aar-saf ion .f -
period of residence, become nat
uralized citizens
IF it were only with these hon
est, hardworking, home loving citi-
gems that we had TO deal, the i'm
migration problem would not con
.. front us. or course, we have in
cur community few undesirable
citizens, but these citizens are not
confined 10 immigrants; many of
them are native born.
Must "Iiand-Pick" Incomers.
With the opening of the avenues
OF commerce il must be expected
that "a great food of immigrants
will rush to America. Because of
the great war the immigration lanes
have been closed against most of
the countries controlled by the CEN
trail powers. In these countries the
MOOD or immigrants is said to be
already gathering and only waiting
Tor the breaking of the dam. Be
cause the city offers higher wages
ana an income without the invest
ment or capital, the immigrant of
late years has refused to go on the
FARMS The question is therefore
demanding Immediate attention. and
we must prepare to hand-pick the
thousands that will soon he de-
handing admission 10 our country
My first recommendation there
tores is that the government estab-
ilsh at all the principal ports of !
emoarkation in the countries that !
furnish our largest supply of ma /
terlal for new citizens a DEPART |
ment Tor receiving applications for !
a permit to emigrate to this coun- |
try. 1t should be required that the I
application be on file 80 DAYS be- !
lore the applicant is permitted to !
sail. so that the inspectors in the |
department would have full oppor |
tunity to examine the subject pby- |
sically, morally and mentally.
There should be a thorough phv-
steal examination of the applicant |
and an inquiry made into the phy-
steal history of his or her family
to determine whether there has |
been any insanity or any other in
neritable disease among the imme-
date ancestors. OF course. no per
son with an infectious or contagi-