The Colorado statesman., 1923-01-27

the mouse committee ON immigration
to modify the present immigration re-
striclion law. II is claimed in Wash.
ington that the farmers generally are
sympathetic with the manufacturers
In their desire to push the gate open
ways.
A month ago 1t was predicted that
n strong effort would he made TO let
more immigrants into this country, men
of the hard manual labor type. II also
was predicted that American labor or
ganlzations would oppose strongly any
changes in the present law unless the
changes were in the direction of
strengthening the exclusion measure.
Labor today is opposed to the attempt
of the manufacturers to change the
law. There would be no chance Mt
all that congress would listen to the
pleas of the members of the committee
who are here today were II not that
the farmers are said to be with the
manufacturers.
1t is said that many of the so-caiied
conservatives and semi-conservatives
find themselves today sympathetic with
the agricultural bloc in this one move
ment. The great Industries have been
calling for more laborers and the con
servatives and the sem-conservatives
never have been Indifferent to such
pleadlngs.
Labor Not Alone in Opposition.
There will be a fight and worthy
one before the present immigration law
is changed. Labor is not the only or
ganization in the United States that Is
opposed to letting down the bars. The
American Legion is on record as fa-
voring a total exclusion of immigrants
for period of years. The Legion
will fight the proposed change
in the law. Moreover, there are
stories to the effect that certain
other organizations in the United
States, powerful numerically and
which have given no striking exhibit
ton of desire to welcome to these
shores any more Europeans, will use
their influence with senators and rep
resentatlves to prevent any vic ding to
the plea of the representatives OF the
industrial and farm bodies.
Here Is what the committee Of the
National Manufacturers association
desires shall be done:
81. That in fixing the quota of each
nationality of otherwise admissible
aliens under the present law due re-
gard should be given to the ascer-
tanned annual emigration from the
United States of persons of such ma
tionality.
80. That the secretary of labor shall
be authorized upon the presentation
to him of satisfactory evidence of
continuing shortage of labor of par.
ticuar type or class. to admit other
wise admissible aliens in excess of the
quota, until in his judgment such con-
dillon is improved.
80 That provision shall be made
for physical examination of aliens at
| ports of embarkation, or where their
passports are vised, except that such
requirement shall be waived upon as
surances of another government that
such satisfactory examination has been
made"
| Further Relaxation Feared.
Virtually every official in Washing.
ton was convinced weeks ago that be.
| fore the present session of congress
| should end immigration again would
become a subject of controversy. 1t
is true that the present movement for
weakening of the exclusion act CON
templates the admission of compara
lively few additional foreigners, but the
records show that when one wedge is
entered 1t is an easy matter to entei
| others.
OF course the desire of the manufac
turers and farmers is to secure labor
of a certain type or class. A farmer
wants farm laborer and manufac-
| turer wants II manufacturing laborer,
| and it Is asked that legislation be SO
framed that they will get what they
want The history of the past, how
ever, has shown that immigrants who
+, worked on the farms in Europe will
not always work on the farms in the
United States. They get to New York
and there they stay, unless something
draws them to Chicago or Philadel'
phia or Baltimore, and neither of these
cities has any large number of farms
within its municipal limits.
There will be fight in Washington
over this immigration matter. II
would seem, however, that unless labor,
plus several other organizations, has
more influence than it is generally ac'
credited with, the bars will be lei
down.
Did Not Know Mr.. Pickwick.
| With the business rush and all