Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1922-03-20
IMMIGRATION.

Tho present emergency immigration
law. which restricts immigration from
any country to three per cent OF the
number now in the United States from
such country, expires on June 80, anu
congress ought to get busy Oh plans Tor
strengthening it. The post war con-
ditions that made restrictive measures
necessary are still with us.
For the year ending June ~, l?2l'
Immigration to this country reached a
total of 100000. The Freeman.J Ourll-
nj has not at hand the figures of I'M
migrants under the restrictive three
per cent law for the present year up
TO this time, but it is reported from
Washington that the aportionment
from practically all of the countries
has been exhausted. AS there were
13.345545 foreign born III the United
States in 1910, the data upon which
the emergency law was based upwards
of 100000 immigrants are permitted
for the year ending with June 80 next.
The restrictive law should not only
be continued, but it should be strength
cned by an amendment providing penal
ties for its violation, which the present
statute lacks.
The steamship companies are the
chief violators and they impose great
hardsnips upon would-be immigrants
for no better reason than that vlol;t-
lions of the law bring many dirty dol
| lars to their cXchequers. They do all
they can to induce immigrants to buy
tickets. taking their chances in being
able to land them after they get them
to our ports. This causes great hard.
ships upon many foreigners who are
turned back because they come from
countries whose quotas have been ex-
hausted.
The average fare Of an immigrant
from Europe is said to he 500. That
amounts to 100000 600 if 100000 come
to this country, and it is quite a tempt:-
ton to the steamship companies to in
dulge in propaganda to secure immi-
grants at 500 per head.
Our immigration restrictive laws
could be turned to the advantage of our
own ships and President Harding might
find in them a way to give American
ships profitable business that would
make it unnecessary to grant the bonus
of approximately S3O,OOOOOO per year
Why not make the law favorable to
vessels owned and operated by citizens
of this country! Require that all I'M
migrants be brought in ships flying the
United States flag. Such a law would
give our ships business aggregating,
under the three per cent limit. S4O,-
100000 Were the limit increased TO
four per cent it would mean an annual
income of upwards of S53,OO0,000.
Powerful interests are back of propa-
ganda in favor of unrestricted immigra-
ton and unless people who have only
the good of the country mt heart take
interest in the matter the bars are like
ly to be taken down.
1t would be Il very different propo-
sition if the desirable immigrant could
be admitted while the undesirabIcs
we're excluded. but that appears to lie
an impOssiblity under present methods,
hence the only way to prevent many
undesirableS is to restrict the entire
number. Some of our best citizens are
foreign born, but Il different class have
been seeking our shores of late years.
In speaking of the immigration for thu,
year ending June 80, 1921, the New
York Times said a few months ago in
discussing this question:
'The predictions made by various
competent authorities have been fully
verified. Immigration during the year
ending June 30 1921. exceeded 100000.
almost doubling that of the preceding
tHc oVlHIUl bl
those Who have had opportunity to oh.
serve the new arrivals, and who are
unprecedented and honest in their views,
is to the effect that our consular Off.
GERS and our experts We're fully JUST.
fled in their statements regarding the
inferior quality of mOst--nOt all--of
these people. An immigration official
of New York recently reported that the
expect to be fruit peddlers, shoe-blacks,
soft drink vendors and swcat-Shop
workers"