The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-01-14

SA0 SoAs SIdAA IIl0 llOuSS COIll.
mittee on immigration. 1t is en-
dorsed by Secretary of Labor Davis
on the ground that 1.-The govern
ment will annually register all aliens
and maintain a complete system Of
directing their education which will
make for their Americanization."
The annual registration Of aliens
son bill. writes Laurance Todd Of
Washington to a number of labor
Il papers, means that the alien must
take oath each year as to his disblief
in all violent overthrow Of the gov
ernment, his disblief in the assassina-
ton Of officers of foreign countries us
well as Of the United States, his dis
blief In anarchism, his respect for the
right to hold property in ones own
name, and his intention to uphold
the laws of the United States
Further than that, he would have to
swear that he did not belong to any
organization which unlawfully in
jured; or believed in or taught the
necessity Of unlawfully injuring,
private property.
.5.- What the Aath Means.
This sounds all right until examin-
ed. Then it appears that the trade
unionist whose organization conducts
J g strike is violator of this test, for
his union is, under recent picketing
decisions Of the United States Su-
preme court, liable to punishment
for injury to the business Of the en-
ployer; it is unlawfully injuring pri-
$vate property, which now includes
. business.
The Johnson bill contains a list of
classes of persons who may not he
admitted to citizenhip. Among them
are anarchists and persons who do
not believe that individuals should
s.aMns property in their own private
capacity. This last class includes
those Catholic orders, such as the
n 5Franciscans, dedicated to proverty
by their vows, and believing in the
holding of all Of their property in
common by the group. Of course
Il johnson did not mean to strike at
!. the Catholic orders. but in a clumsy
! attempt to exclude all Socialists
from citizenship his fanaticism led
him to it. He was determined to
impress upon the minds of all alien
workers. seeking the privilege of vot-
ing in this country. the idea that
the dollar and the profit system are
i the cornerstones of the government,
and all who question them are liable
to severe punishment.
Bill Goes Labor Editor One Better.
In this venture Johnson has gon ne
even further than the editor of the
United Mine Workers Journal, who
! has published the remarks Of Tory
judge, denying citizenship to a. Kan
sas mine striker. as a warning to all
radical members of the U. M. w.
A. This Kansas miner was disloyal
to Lewisism, but Congressman john
son would deny citizenship to all
alien workers who do not swallow
capitalism of every sort, under the
phrase "private property
In order that the alien may not
think himself safe in holding un-
Il nOrthodox economic opinions as soon
az he has sucured his final papers,
the bill provides that he may be de-
B prived Of his citizenship at any time
within five years after they have
been issued, if it be found that he
has really been a radical of the pros
scribed variety. or has gone abroad 10
live and has remained there a cer-
q tain period. Information as to his
activities and standing when abroad
diplomatic and consular officers,
who will be the agents of a vast
international spying system, based
upon the annual registration" re-
quirement.
I Fine Opportunity for Labor Baiters.
s% There are great possibilities-for
the steel trust, the coal operators
and other exploiters of alien labor
In the annual compulsion upon the
worker to present himself before
q federal officer and give an ac-
counting of his views, hi; business
and his intentions. The informa-
tion given by him to the registration
: officer could be used with effect
by the employers to determine the
4 character Of the men in their plant,
Y and to warn them of the movements
Il Of alien radicals from Job to Job over
the country.
II Every registration should include
the wife and children, if any," says
Secretay Davis. In his letter to john
SON 'The purpose of the registra-
ton shall be primarily to provide
for the education o. the registran1,
(, TO- assign ohim education facilities,
and to furnish him such information
As would be helpful in promoting
Amer1canization. It should be i'm
pressed upon the alien from the very
first registration that its purpose IS
not to create an espionage system,
but 1t is to provide a means of bet
tering his conditions thru education
for citizenship, and that it is strictly
and only for his benefit that the
4 system is created" =
Davis Admits Purpose of Bill. - !.
S However, Davis frankly admits
that "Such registration would never
Jthsless automatically bring into notice
NxhN alien who declares himself Or
Continued '':h ls' on lPl'ase -