The Denver Jewish news., 1922-01-04
Committee Discusses
New Relative Bill
JEWS FIGURE AT IMMIGRATION
HEARING ALSO OPPONENTS TO
JEWISH IMMIGRATION.
Special Washington Correspondence.
by MAN RHOADES


by MAN RHOADFa
Copyright 1921 by the Jewish Cor
rcSpondencc Bureau.
On-Immigration develop
ments here were marked by two
features during the past week: first
tie change in the prospects of the new
legislation to lie enacted. and second.
the maried and rather unfavorablc at
tcntion paid to the Jews in the tcsti-
mony mt the hearings before the House
immigration committee. This tcsti-
mony will I've used as the basis of in
formation in drafting the new law
The purpose in view has been stated
at the committee hearings as follows
by Chairman johnson himself:
This committee is endcavoring to
find something that can he enacted
into law as quickly as possible that
will he in the nature of substitute
for the 3ff law: that will carry pro-
visions more human than the 3%
Act. AT the same time. we nrc dcsir-
Gus that the new Act shall he heavily
restrictive as to immigration.
In view of the pronounced scnti-
mcnt in the house for restriction of
alien entry. 1t appeared that the net
result of all the discussion starting
with the committee hearing ana end
ing with the final vote on the floor
of the House. despite all that might
he said and done. would take the
form of n retention of the present oh
1oxious quota system. based on the
Limitation of admission 10 3fS OF the
numbers of the respective nationalitics
already residing in the United States.
Rumors have spread that n more
humane measure would ie supported
by the restrictionists. in the nature of
the bill introduced in the Hou1c by
the chairman Of :he Imm. grafton COM
nittee. Albert Johnson. which while
providing for general suspension OF
Immigration for period of three
years. excerpts wires. husbands and
minor children of naturalizcd citi-
Zens. in other words. n relative" bill.
The chief argument against the pres
cnt law has been the tragic effects
arising out of the separation of fam
lilies brought about by exclusion eN-
cess in the quotas. Elimination of the
three percent quota scheme of the pres
ent law and the substitution in lieu
thereof admission of certain categorieS
Gf relatives of citizens was conceived
by Johnson to he the hest and maxi
mum concession to immigration pos
.sible.
1t was only following an executive
session of the immigration commit
tee ut the close of the first days
Hearings which was attended. it is
learned. by Assistant Secretary of La
hor Henning. that "A proposed definite
abandonment of the present three per
cent law seemed probable. At the
opening of moving picture and steo-
roptican display of immigration condi-
tions shown by one Carl Bruhm. in
the House Office Building Caucus
room, Chairman Johnson, in few
remarks he made to the audience.
Consisting chiefly of members of Con-
greSSl. once for all forcsworc the
present law. declaring in his state
mcnt. which was emphatic to an I'M
expected degree. that experience had
proven the three per cent quota sys-
TEN unworkahlc. and that it had
caused many hardships. as for cN-
ample the exclusion of wives and chill
dren with the resulting separation.
As Il result of this frank confes-
sion and other things that have trans
pired behind closed doors many friends
Of immigration in Congress. among
them the Jewish representative fror
Chicago, .Adolph j. sabbath. optimis-
tically anticipate that the new legisla-
tion will see the abandonment of the
quota system and the attainment of 4
relative" law which hope may he
hroadened to include fathers. mothers.
sisters and brothers not only Of citi-
zcns. hut also of declarants. or first
paper" residents as well.
ITO he contlnuedJ