Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-24
bs james J. Davis.

Secretary OF Labor
Through the bureau of lmm!ErI-
ton. tn" department Of Labor funr-
tons 10 guard the gates Of America
against the influx of Il horde Of
aliens whose presence in the United
states might menace the general well
fare OF our people" The opportuni-
ties which America offers To the In
divtdual are precious. and they should
not be d"rncancd by placing them in
unworthy hands. The man or woman
who comes to the United States from
abroad mus; be OF a type mentally.
morally and physically capable OF APP
prcciating the advantages of lii. in
the republic. and Of taking the fun
est measure OF success. socially. eco
nomically and politically under our
| bcncnclcrt Institutions. America y
lOe.O00.O00 men. women and children
owe IL Ia themselves to see To II that
only the worthy are permitted Ia
take UP their residence among as.
Guard Long Borhcr.
y; every immigrant station Uu tac
scaboard. along 3.o00 miles OF tamad-
ian boundary, and Oh the Mex lean
border. the officials 81 the Eur"au of
immigration ar" on gUnrd rhcir
duty II - To test tn" wOrthtu"ss ~
every alien who presents himself as
candidate for the high privii"E" oi
residing In the United states. I'll"
tests imposed are fixed by law. la
general their purpose is to bar those
whose physical condition might inn
peril the national health. those whose
moral conduct might offend or CON
taminntc the morals OF tn" Cominuu
ity. those who preach the downfall
Of the American system OF govern
mcnt. and finally those who by rca-
son "i the different economic STAN
dardS under which they have lived,
would. IL permitted to cut"r la un-
restricted numbers. reduce the stan
da:d 81 living u the American wage
Garner.
Here the Department al Labor is
again IN fun pursuit at Us high pur-
pose the promotion uf the wclfar.
Of tho man and woman who works
In America. Under the law "r en-
ploycr may cnSaG" cheap workers In
EUROPE. at the low European wages
and bring them to America I" com
pctc with or displacc American la
Dor working ~ American WAGES. and
maintaining an American standard Of
living upou ON. condition employ
ers may import skilled labor. They
must establish that such labor un
employed cannot be found ia the
United States
I.itrrnr. TEST Required.
TLc immigration statutes bay
aliens over Ii years old. who ar"
unable 10 read in some Language or
dialect. This test OF Nt.vacy. and
tn" provisions which exclude the fc"-
h!o- m!nded and the insane are the
only provisions which prescribe mon
tai standards for these future Amcrt-
cans. Special laws exclude Chinese
lahurcrs, and aliens from certain de
, fined sections -! Asia.
With Tho close of the world War,
America; faced vcritAbi" Hood 90:
immigrants. seeking r.fuG" from lii"
/ conditions in the war torn countries
uG Europe. and Tia" Scar East. Con-
ErcSS To stem tho tide passed a law
limiting the immigrants from any
! foreign country to . per cent OF the
! foreign born persons %: each nation
! ality resident in the United states in
/ 1910. Under this law, the Unitcu
states has checked the stream Of
aliens Towing 10 this country, arbI.
tTaG!ly. pending the framing Of a poll
I toy wn!ch uuly the bcs; OF those APP
/ plying Tor admission will he allowed
/ 1" enter. H. the iirst year OF it's np-
Grafton, the per ccat law cut down
/ the number cot foreigners admitted ty
1 more tham half " million.
; I.mu.aa0 Seek Entrance.
[ scmtins every element in tn" anE ed
/ populations Of The old world, ana
{ every rae" beneath tho sun soueh,
I admission :" America ia the year Dc :
! tore In" percentage" law became ,:-
/ i.c;!N". During the first year under
/ tn" !aw loss than 200. 900 were admit :
ted. On- effect OF the law was To >ut
I down materially the percentage ol
/ the total immigration. which came
/ from southern and Eastern Europe
/ the source OF the alien stream which
/ tn" year b"Iur" drought about 30 :
600 10 our shores. The normal imml =
grafton from Northern and Wcsi.rn
/ Europe has been practically un-
1 checked by the pcr""niaE. law.
! one Of the peculiar features Of the
/ ; per cent act is the favor shown the
I japanese and Chinese races. The law
/ specifically cXcmpts from it's opera
/ tion the countries with which there
/ are treaty agreements. which leaves
/ the So-called "G.ntlc,neu's Agree
/ mcnt' ana the Chinese exclusion laws
/ in full force. The number forming
exempted" classes is considerably II
excess ot the 3 per cent limit place,
upon nationals Of other countries. II
, other words. these excluded" race!
are given preference over the So
, called most favored"
Gives Other Powers Selection.
The greatest fault with our prcsen
, immigration system is that ii give.
the. privilege Of selection to the SOY.
I croign powers Of other nations. Thi.
power was first given absolute to IL,
Japanese under the su-calicd Gentle.
mems Agreement under the proVi
Sions ~ which that government cove.
nantcd 10 give passports only 10 Ger
tain classes of her people There hu.
| has been some controvcryS as {,
whether this power WAS fairly cX
! ccutcd, though ii II Is not il is likcll
that her authorities have been as bad
~ dupcd as our own. thought :heA
have the remedy, and we rccogniZinl
! their government as responsible
could hardly challenge the statement.
appearing on passport issued by it:
officers.
The passport system at tho present
time Is at most clumsy piece o.
machinery and i'll adapted to ouI
needs. II is time That VIC oursclvc!
had something To say. Il We are {,
, continue 10 rely upon alien labor ful
| development OF our resources. abou
the kind of emigrants to be givci
the privilege Of taking part in out
national affairs Instead OF the pass
/ por; given by foreign government!