Evening star., 1922-12-08
Text of President Harding$ Address to Congress

but not assume for the United
States burdens which nations must
bear for themselves. We would
rejoice to help rehabilitatc currency
systems and facilitate ali commerce
which does not drag US to the very
levels Of those we seek to lift up.
While / have everlasting faith
in our republic. it would be folly.
indeed. to blind ourselves to our
problems at home. Abusing the
advocates of revolution. finding
their deluded followers among
those who take on the habiliments
of an American without knowing
an American soul. There is the
recrudescence of hyphenated Amer
been stamped out when we com
mitted II" nation, life and soul. to
the world war.
Demands Respect for Law by Aliens
There is a call to make the alien
respect our institutions while he
accepts our hospitality. There is
need to magnify the American
viewpoint to the alien who seeks
citizenship among us. There is
need to magnify the national view
point to Americans throughout the
every living being in the United
States to respect and abide by the
laws of the republic Let men
who are rending the moral fiber OF
the republic through easy con-
tempt for the prohibition law. be-
cause they think it restricts their
personal liberty. remember that
they set the example and breed a
contempt for law which will ulti-
mately destroy the republic.
Constitutional prohibition has
been adopted by the nation. 1t is
the supreme law of the land. In
plain speaking, there are condl-
tion> relating t" its enforcement
whirl. SAVIOR of nation wide scan
dal. IT is the most demorallZins
factor in our public life.
Most of our people assumed that
the adoption Of the eighteenth
amendment meant the elimination
of the question from our politics.
On the contrary. it has been 50
intensified as an issue that many
voters are disposed to make all po-
li,ical decisions with reference to
this single question. IT is dis,
tracing the public mind and
prejudicing the judgment of the
electorate.
The day is unlikely TO come
when the eighteenth amendment
will be repealed. The fact may as
we'll be recognized and our course
adapted accordingly. If the statu-
tory provisions for its enforce
ment are contrary to deliberate
public opinion. which ] DO not be-
lieve, the rigorous and literal en-
forcement will concentrate public
attention on any requisite modIn-
cation. Such course conforms
with the law and saves the humli-
iation of the government and the
humiliation of our people before
the world. and challenges the de-
structive forces engaged in wide
spread violation. official corruption
and individual demoralization.
Concurrent Authority Involved.
The eighteenth amendment in
wolves the concurrent authority nf
state and federal governments. for
th. enforcement Of the policy i, de-
fines. A certain lack OF definiteness.
through division of responsibility. is
thus introduced. In order TO bring
sbou, "A full undersia nding Of duties
and responsibilities as thus dlstr!b-
uted | purpose to invite the govern
ols Of the states and territories. al
an early opportunity. to conference
with the federal executive authority.
ON, of the full and free consideration
which will thus be possible. it is con-
fidentIy believed. will emerge more
adequate comprehension of the whole
problem and definite policies OF ma
tional and state cooperation IN ad-
minStering the laws
There are pending bills for the
registration of the alien who has
come to our shores. wish the pass
age Of such an act might be eXpe-
dited Life amid American oppor-
tunities is worth the cost of regis
tration if it is worth the seeking.
ha isyht n know
who are citizens in the making or
who live among US and share our ad-
vantases while seeking to undermine
our cherished institutions. This pro-
vision will enable US to guard against
the abuses in immigration. checking
the undesirable whose irregular COM
ing is his first violation of our laws.
More it will facilitate the needed
Americanizing of those who mean to
enroll as fellow citizens.
Before enlarging the immigration
quotas We had better provide regis
tration for aliens. those now here or
continually pressing for admission.
and establish our examination boards
abroad. to make sure of desirables
only. BY the examination abroad we
could end the pathos at our ports.
when men and women find our doors
closed. after long voyages and wasted
savings, because they are unfit for
admission. 1t would be kindlier and
safer to tell them before they embark
Kin to Illiteracy Problem.
Our program of admission and
treatment of immigrants is very
intimately related to the educa-
tional policy of the republic. With
illiteracy estimated at from two
tenths of ] per cent 10 less than
per cent in ten of the foremost
nations of Europe. it rivets our
attention to a serious problem
when we are reminded Of a s per
cent illiteracy in the United States.
The figures are based on the test
which defines an illiterate as one
having no schooling whatever. Re
- 0'ontinuod on k'iffaenfh IIa0,