South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-23
IMMIGRANT HORDE
MENACES AMERICA,
INVESTIGATOR SAYS
Lillian Russell Makes Unique
Survey of immigration
Problem Abroad.

A1AANAAA @AAAA DAAs
WASHINGTON. April 22.-"Im-
migration s. the gravest question to-
day confronting the American pe0-
pie and the most serious problem
demanding solution by the Amer
lean Government.
Time was when our shores were
p haven for the politically and re-
Igiously oppressed. and when our
gates opened the way 20 opportunity
for the ambitious and aspiring OF
other lands. Time was too. when
our nation. in its period Of con-
struction and reconstruction, need
ed the brown Of the sturdy Euro
pean 90 extend civilization into un-
cultivated and undevelOped terri
tory"
Ir Isl Miss Lillian Russell speak
ing. The former light opera queen,
lu private life Mrs Alexander
Moore. OF Pittsburgh She has just
returned from an extensive tour Of
Europe. where she went as a spe-
cial commissioner Of the Depart
ment OF Labor 20 study inmigra-
ton matters She has brought back
first hand information on the sub
iect which IS now being considered
ty Secretary of Labor Davis and
u embers of the Senate and House
- ommittces on immigration.
According 20 Miss Russell the
war has restored human rights TO
the peoples OF Europe and none
need 10 seek sanctuary here. Fur
thermore. she says. America does
not now need labor 10 aid I'm the
development of its resources.
From Glass Which Arrests
That stage has long passed and
it is a fact that immigration Of re-
cent years has been from that class
OF people WITCH arrests, rather than
aids. the development OF any ma
ton" the former diva declared.
I'm this immigration problem
there is only one thing that de-
mands serious attention and that Is,
What IS best for America p"
Pointing out that the higher civ
iLzations OF the past succum bed 10
such foreign invasions as now
threaten this country and that alien
inhltration wrecked Rome and
Greece. Miss Russell urged that il
was against such a fate that Amer
lea must protect itself
Il believe it would be a good
thing for America If an fmmigra-
tion holiday Of FIVE years could be
declared, =" Miss Russell told Secre-
tary Davis.
If we must keep our gates open
] would urge a new system, by
which the sitting process should be
carried on a broad. so that none but
those who. physically and mentally.
would make valuable additions to
J Ir population would be permitted
70 board ship for America" she
said
Should Be Rigid Tests.
One OF her suggestions Is that
there should be rigid tests OF men
tai qualifications by American con-
suIs and one rigid recurrence
should be that applicants must be
able 20 read. write and speak their
own language. Physical tests, she
believes. should be conducted by
American physicians ana any bodily
weakness should mean rejection.
The Wasserman test ought 20 be
Employed in every case. I'm her opin-
ION. She is insislent upon the en-
p.oymeut of American physicians 70
make these tests. because 7 be-
leve that racial sympathies might
lead 10 too liberal a view OF bodily
rhrmities"
II the present law restricting i'm
migration by quotas from other
countries is continued Miss Russell
believes that it should be material
lv strengthened. There should be g
central headquarters. possibly II
London. she says. wnere American
~onsuIs should regularly report the
mum Der Of their vises. so that the
quota could not be exceeded any
month. thus avoiding the hardship