Evening star., 1923-04-17
|MM|GRAT|ONMAY
Be BIG 1924 ISSUE
Denunciation by Gary Seen
as Opening Gun in Cam
paign Warfare.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Judge Elbert H. Gary's denuncia-
tion of the present immigration law,
which prevents European workmen
from coming. to American shores and
relieving the labor shortage, Is the
opening gun in what may become a
much more live issue In the next
twelve months in American politics
than the open shop" or the tariff.
The advance in wages granted by
the steel corporation. it is generally
agreed, was due in no small measure
10 the competitive search for Ameri-
can labor. Mr. Garys view that the
present curb on immigration Is "one
OF the worst things economically" the
united States has ever done is shared
the United States Chamber of Com
merce is at work on q plan to permit
a nextble system of selection so that
able bodied workmen may be admit
ted without allowing a flood of i'm
migration and the attendant evils
which helped build up sentiment for
the present law.
Organized labor has been back Of
the policy of restricted immigration
Tor many years, arguing that pro-
lection to the American workman
against the competition of the for
aigner was just as essential for
labor as for capital, which by means
OF the tariff shuts out imports.
European Labor Abundant.
An abundance of European labor
exists. and If permitted to enter
would naturally enable American in
dustries to get all the labor needed
without having to pay competitive
prices as against each other. Many
OF Americas industrial concerns have
scouts seaching the country with Of
fers Of higher wages to men in other
trades
This condition is naturally desirable
from the viewpoint of organized la
Dor as wages tend to go upward.
But the drive of the United States
Chamber OF Commerce is not to in
crease to any substantial extent the
number Of persons admitted to Amer
lea. but to exercise more care in the
selection of the types eligible to en-
ter, so that American industry will
be assured OF a steady supply of for
eign workmen and SO that the costs
of production will not go 80 high as
TO damage the fabric OF industry
itself for there can be a limit to high
labor costs beyond which companies
will not find 1t profitable to operate
on as large scale as at present.
Possibility OF Increase.
The committee of the United States
Chamber Of Commerce takes the
present law, which permits three per
cent of the existing proportion Of each
nationality already in the United
States, and would add a possible two
per cent. The number of immigrants
at present admissible by the three
per cent quota system is 357.803. BY
making. 1t a total of five per cent. the
number would be only 23s.536 more.
Der would actually come as some of
the so-called quota countries from
northern and western Europe last
year fell below their quotas
Under the proposed plan there
would be tests of the physical, mental
and moral suitability OF immigrants |
and that the standards should be
made with due recognition of the |
kinds of immigrants most needed in |
America. II. for instance. there is a !
effort should be made to spread in |
formation in those countries where /
a desirable class of labor may be !
obtainable.
The chamber OF commerce insists
that the policy of the government |
should be based upon consideration ;
OF the best interest OF the country as !
a whole. not upon the benefits that |
may accrue to any group, manufac- |
turers, farmers. laborers or others" !
himself"
Secretary Davis Of the Department |
of Labor is at work on a similar plan |
and hopes to make a definite recon- !
nendation for new legislation when |!
congress reconvenes. President Hard |
Ing will have to take a stand on the !
matter to get attention from Con- |
gress, as the tendency in that body |
VIII naturally be to avoid q contro- |
versy with labor. The friends Of the |
selective plan, however, think they
will be able to demonstrate to or |
ganfzed labor that the selective proc
ess will help rather than hurt their !:
cause and that opposition to it would |
be mistaken. The Harding admins
tration could not afford politically to |;
align itself against organized labor |
on the eve OF a presidential election,
though strenuous efforts are being |
made by republican business men to |
draw the President to their side Of |
the age-old conflict. immigration
the ingredients Of a great |
political struggle. and Judge Gary's |
speech Is the forerunner Of what Will |
be heard when the United States |
Chamber OF Commerce discusses the |
problem at its annual
meeting in New York three weeks
from today
Copyright, 1922