Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-04-22
IMMIGRATION

What appears to have been an inacurracy in the re-
port Of a statement on immigration by Secretary Hughes,
has been the subject of animated discussion in congress.
Mr., Hughes was reported 10 have declared certain classes
OF immigrants to be highly undesirable, and to have rec
commanded total exclusion. His reported remarks were
taken to be an unwarrantcd assumption Of authority on
the part of a department. head. and an effort by him to
substa ntially dictate the character of legislation which
congress should enact. Mr.. Hughes explains that the
statements attributed to him were not made by him at
all, but were merely quoted from reports Of American
officials abroad and submitted to congress for its infor-
nation. 'r-
Some of the statements made in these rcnorts are
resented by congressman who have among their consti-
iuents large groups OF persons who themselves have come
from the districts inhabited by the persons whose ex-
clusion is now recommended. The fact that these consti-
.ue,ts have votes may be understood to have at least some
bearing on the Indignation of the representatives.
While it is impossible to be exact on such a subject,
and somewhat dangerous to generalizc, there is a very
firm conviction in the minds of probably the majority
o. our people that our immigration laws are sadly in
need of repair. Whether or not immigration from partic-
ular countries ought to be prohibited may be an open
question:; but it cannot well be disputed that immigra-
ton of certain classes of people ought to be prohibited,
and that to this end, we should have very stringent reg
ulations, much more effective than any we have had in
the past concerning the admission Of persons from any
and all countries.
We have had little trouble and are likely to have
little with immigration from northwestern Europe in
Guiding the British Isles. The people from those countries
who have come to the United States have distributed
themselves promiscuously and have soon become so
merged in the general masses of the population that it is
impossible to distinguish them. This is not true of the
immigrants from southern Europe. Their tendency has
been to settle in colonies, and quite usually in the large
cities, where they have been immune from all the influ-
enceo Of Americanization. They speak the language Oh
their home countries; they follow the home habits: and
the districts in which they live are in effect, small Sec
tions Of their native countries, lifted bodily and trans
planted to this land. The effect Of this has been highly
Undesirable. It has been to build up large colonies of UNI
SAmesican Population. and . population that has no de-
siHe to become Amertcanized. The inha bitants Of these
colonies know nothing end care nothing about American
ideals: and additions to them from the same sources
are greatly to be depfored. II it were possible to effect
the distribution Of such Immigrants throughout the coun-
Try, the work Of aAtnnilation would proceed much more
rasidly and satisfactorily: but apparently THU. cannot be
done. s
Comnent - frequently made on the relatively small
nunnbers Of Immigrants from these particular sections,
so tn, conclusion - drawn that . nation OF one hundred
MilItsas can readily an1milate . fsw thousands or hum
dssAs of th0usAnds vino come from any country. Thia
49, not stats. ths problem = III accurately. Aastmiia--
den Gomez ~ contact; md . slam sroup - : rsat city
nunaerous anough 70 ~cosstifuts = srsat comrnunty 81 III
dcss mot come into contact With our hundreds OF
nitlipas: but - the contrary. IT. contact q limited very
lax1eiy to ~ own nenbsra'W Ne bave In our crest cities
lk1ay Who scarcely eysr como into contact With people
Uho1psak the English language. Their own community
IL - KRIS thst their activities may - carried On entirely