Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-09-13
Humanity In
Government
IN a AT THE GATES
BY JAMES j. DAVIS
Secretary of Labor

| aliens whose presence in the Unlteu
States might II the genera
welfare of our people. Inc oPPUt
tunities which America OFFERS 10 the
Individual are precious, ana tney
| should not be demeaned by pIdCiis
them in unworthy hands me men
| or woman who comes to the Cnlted
States from abroad must be OF a
type mentally, morally and physl-
| callv capable of approaching the
advantages of life in the republic.
| and of taking the fullest measure Il
success, socially, econoinlcdlIY anu
politically under u an
situations. Americas ITO, OOO,O0O
men. women and children I'VE II TO
themselves to see TO it that only the
worthy are permitted to take up
their residence among US.
At every immigrant station on the
s~eaboard, along three thouSdhu
miles of Canadian boundary. II ON
the Mexican border, the oflclais OIL
the Bureau of immigration are On
guard. orheir duty is 10 test the
worthiness of every alien who pre-
SCENTS himself as a candidate Tor the
high privilege of residing IN the
United States. The tests imposed
are fixed by law. In general their
purpose is TO bar those whose pnysl"
cal condition might lmperll the nd
tional health, those whose moran
conduct might offend or contaml-
nate the morale of the community,
those who preach the OF
the American system Oh govern
ment, and finally those who by rea-
son of the different Stahu-
ards under which they nave HNed'
would, If permitted TO enter IN IN
restricted numbers, reduce the
standard of living of the American
wage-earner. Here the Department
of Labor is again in full pursuit
OF its high purpose. the promotion
of the welfare of the man and Wom-
an who works in America. Under
the law no employer may engage
cheap workers in Europe. at the low
European wage and bring them to
America to compete with or displace
American labor working at Ameri-
can wages, and maintaining an
American standard of living. Upon
one condition employers may import
skilled labor. They must establish
that such labor, unemployed cannot
be found in the United States.
The immigration statutes par
aliens over sixteen years who are
unable to read in some language or
QldleCI. Ills tcol VI tbNANNs
the provisions which exclude the
feeble minded and the insane are
the only provisions which prescribe
mental standards for these future
Americans. Special laws exclude
Chinese laborers, and aliens from
defined sections of Asia.
With the close of the world war,
America faced a veritable flood OF
immigrants, seeking refuge from the
conditions in the war torn countries
OF Europe, and the Near East. Con-
gress to stem the tide passed a law
limiting the immigrants from any
country to three percent ot
the foreign persons of each nation.
atty resident in the United States
States has checked the stream OK
in 1910. Under this law. the United
aliens flowing to this country, arbi-
pending the framing of a
policy under which only the best of
those applying for admission will
be allowed to enter. In the first
year of it's operation, the three per-
cent law cut down the number or
foreigners admitted by more than
half a million.
Nearly 1000, 900 foreigners, rep
~resenting every element in the tan
gled populations of the old world,
and every race beneath the sun,
sought admission to America in the
year before the percentage law be-
came effective. During the first
year under the law less than 30O,-
900 were admitted. One effect of
the law was to cut down materially
the percentage Of the total immi-
grants which came from Southern
and Eastern Europe, the source of
the alien stream which the year be-
fore brought about 100000 to our
shores. The normal immigration
from Northern and Western Europe
has been practically unchecked by
the percentage law.
One Of the peculiar features of
the three percent act is the favor
shown the japanese and Chinese
races. The law specifically exempts
from its operation the countries
with which there are treaty agree
ments, which leaves the so-called
"Gentlemen's Agreement" and the
Chinese exclusion laws in full force.
The number forming "exempted"
classes Is considerably in excess of
the three percent limit placed upon
nationals Of other countries. In
other words, these excluded" races
are given preference over the So
called most favored"
The greatest fault with our pres
emit immigration system is hat it
gives the privilege of selection to
the sovereign powers of other ma
tons. This power was first given
absolute to the Japanese under the
so-called "Gentlemen's Agreement"
under the provisions of which that
government covenanted to give
passports only to certain classes of
her people. There has always been
some controversy as to whether this
power was fairly executed, though
il it is not it il likely that her au-
thorities have been as badly duped
as our own, though they have the
remedy, n we recognizing their
government as responsible, could
hardly challenge the statements APP
pearing on a passport issued by it's
officers.
The passport system at the pres
n time is at most a clumsy piece
Of machinery and i'll adapted to u
needs. 1t Is time that we ourselves
had something to say, if we are
to continue to rely upon alien labor
for development of our
about the kind of emigrants to be
given the privilege of taking part in
our national affairs. Instead of the
passport given by foreign govern
ments we should set a standard, and
those qualified to be determined on
| the other side, giving our certificate
of qualification to those entitled to
admission. To accomplish this pur-
pose I have ready for introduction
at the next session of congress a
bill providing for the examination
of prospective emigrants giving the
following tests:
/. Blood. to determine the gem