South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-29
OPPOSITION SHOWN
TO MODIFYING OF
IMMIGRATION LAWS
Rep. Johnson Says Move for
Changes Is Propaganda for
Cheap Labor.
BY LOUIS LUDLOW.

WASHINGTON. D. g. Dec rs
Rigid opposition to modification OF
tho immigration laws Is manlfestlng
itself in congress.
Characterizing tho movement TO
obtain liberalization as propaganda
doctrine IN favor OF cheap labor.
Rep. Albert Johnson Of washington,
declared that the immigration laws
are not to bee weakened. icosened
or opened" The chairman OF the
house committee that framed the
three per cent law proceeded 20 de-
nounce strongly Efforts that are be-
ing made by persons outside OF con
gress to bring about changes IN that
law.
What are those who are demand
ing an influx Of cheap allen labor
thinking about2 ne asked. Are they
thinking Of profits or posterity2"
Answers Questions.
Answering his own questions he
Continued.
Because the restriction Of immi-
grafton TO three per cent OF the vari-
Gus uauonaliGes here in 1910 has
played considerable part In the in
creases Of wages 20 common labor
a CRY has gone up from those who
>WouId benefit most that we must
ave more immigrants In order to
obtain more labor. What they really
mean IS cheaper labor.
"Do not they know that the quotas
OF immigrants permitted 20 come
from the north countries Of Europe
are untitled? IL Is from these cOun-
tries that we get desirable immi-
grants who are assimilable. Must
we open up ashole at Ellis Island big
enough 20 admit a million or mil
lion and a half immigrants "A year so
that those who are demanding iber-
alizatiOn may give wretched employ
rnent 20 possibly one-fourth Of that
number
These propaEa ndists talk Of alien
labor as they would talk OF ten-penny
nails. They seem never 10 think OF
the wives and children OF the aliens
already here who must either come
now or become a part OF the wretch
ed wreckage OF Europe. As far as
I am concerned, 7 shall stand up 20
the last against the cry"
Answers J. II. Howard.
Commenting on the statement of
James r Howard. president OF the
American Farm Bureau federation.
10 the effect that American restrlc-
ton IS affecting the prosperity Of the
country, particularly Of the farmer.
Mr. Johnson said:
What plan has Mr. Howard for
letting in hard-working. honest per-
sons? Are not all persons poten-
TALLY honest and willing 10 work un-
less permeated with the ideas Of
Socialism. Bolshevism, SOvietism or
revolution? Do not the farmers
know that the first big immigration
\ following the World war brought TO
THE United States more than 100000
~aliens, Of whom only two per cent
were farmers and only three per
cent farm laborers?
What do those who talk about
selection and distribution mean?
Who is to select2 How IS distribu-
ton TO be made and how is the dis
tributed alien TO be made to stay at
a given place?
Plan Several Changes.
I'VE are told that there IS a labor
shortage OF tailors. Notwithstanding
that the making Of clothing ia chang
ing from bench 20 machine so rapid
ly that a custom-made suit will soon
he as rare a. a hand made shoe.
There is no real shortage OF tailors.
Native Americans have been driven
out of the tailoring business by allen
workers who congrGgate in the large
tailoring centers-1Sew York. Boston,
Philadelphia Baltimore, Rochester,
cleveland Cincinnati, indianapolis
and Chicago"
Several changes Of the three per
cent law viii be recommended by
his committee. Chairman Johnson
said. but these changes will be de-
signed 10 tighten the law by further
restricting immigration of undesir-
ables. increasing mental and health
tests and denying permanent resi-
dence 10 aliens not eligible for citI-
zenship.