New-York tribune., 1922-09-24
Chairman Johnson Of Inn
migration Co m mittee
Suggests Half of One
Per Cent as the Basis
Demand General
For Drastic Act
Aunts and Uncles of
L h os e Living Here
Would Not Be Favored

-.o"' 1"o 1''oHhe y washington BurcdJ
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23.-Tighten-
ING OF the immigration restriction act
to the extent of almost complete sus-
pension was advocated to-day by Chair
man Albert Johnson of the House
immigration Committee in lengthy
statement on the operations of the 3
per cent law.
The country seems to want complete
suspension of immigration" said Rem
resentatlve Johnson. "That is impos-
slble, 1t seems to me, for we should
leave an opening for the admission OF
immediate relatives of citizens of the
United States and permanently domi-
clled aliens; for their fathers, mothers
and children, but not for their uncles.
cousins and aunts"
Chairman Johnson proposes to intro
duce measure providing for changes
when Congress returns in December. as
follows:
L. Reduce the percentage figure to 2
per cent or even to II per cent, thus
lowering the number of admissibles
from countries entitled to large quotas.
2. Give all countries which have sep
arate governments, or parliaments
which act Independently of the parent
government, base quotas of about 600
each annually, cutting down other ex-
cmptions as far as possible. This will
relieve the cry from Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa and other coun-
tries whose present annual quotas are
900 or less.
3. Treat immediate families as units,
admitting the husband wife, or chill
dren of citizens of the United States
and aliens permanently domicilcd here.
This will eliminate nine-tenths of the
distress cases at our principal ports by
uniting families which might other
wise, because of exhaustion of quotas,
become separated.
To Exclude the Inferior
4. Perfect the iiliteracy test by pro.
ylding authority for the exclusion of
the mentally inferior and the emotion
ally unstable classes, some of
whom experience has shown often
are competent to meet the liter
acy test by reading forty words,
but nevertheless are wholly un-
fit for incorporation into the mass of
our, people. Such provision would
exclude the weak minded, the de-
generate and those who, although old
in years, are children mentally and
never can be expected to develop sta
bility of character themselves or TO
transmit desirable capacities to .heir
offspring. The literacy test has ex-
cluded many of these, but not enough.
1t should be expanded and develope
SO as better to effect the purpose for
which it was originally written. In the
light of modern scientific experience,
this can and should be done.
> Provide for more thorough physi-
cal examination of immigrants by
authorizing the modern blood test, a
simple yet effective step, which will ex-
clude aliens afflicted with diseases
otherwise not readily detected. Applica-
ton of the blood test will mean more
thorough medical examination at little
increased cost if any. 1t will mean also
the absolute exclusion of certain in
fectious and loathsome diseases, some
cases of which now escape the atten-
tion of examining officers. Only three
imm igration stations, namely, those a.
New York, Boston and San Francisco
are now fully equipped to conduct
thorough meuIcai examinations. If ap-
plication of the Blood test be author
lied, examinations at all ports will be
simpliied.
Bar DESERVING Seamen
6. Apply the quota law to alien
seamen who intend to leave ship and
remain in the United States, prevent.
ing absolutely the landing of those who
are diseased and preventing also vio-
lations of the Chinese exclusion acts
and the gentlemen's agreement with
Japan. Experience has shown tina,
under existing laws and regulations
thousands of seamen dcserters have
landed in the United States and re.
n1ained unlawfully WITHOUT examina.
ton. Such evasion of the law must
be stopped.
7. Admit certain exempted classes
such as students, actors and members
of certain professions, for temporary
stay only. Their right to enter upor
arrival in excess of quotas and remain
in the United States permanently
thereafter cannot be maintained.
8. Change the percentage of monthly
admissibles from twenty to ten, thus
tcaetihued on pape ssvsni