The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-03-07
CONGRESS FAvORS
NEW ALIEN BILL
FURTHER RESTRICTION OF I'M
MIGRATION BELIEVED 10 BE
DESIRE OF COUNTRY.
MAY PASS AT THIS SESSION
Many Elements Besides Organized La
Dor Urge Tightening of the Exclu-
sion Provisions-Legislators Not In
clined to Heed the Protests.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

iOAs II hOuS6 Ol 1tDIt-
%sentatives is about to give consider
alton to the immigration restriction
bill approved a day or two ago by the
house immigration committee. With
the feeling on this matter as it Is to-
day in the country, and especially In
congress, 1t Is more than possible that
the bill will be enacted into law
quickly.
Washington has felt for a long time.
possibly of course mistakenly, that
sentiment throughout the country has
been focusing in behalf of some plan
further to keep immigrants u of the
country. The pleas of the manufac-
turing and industrial interests gen.
orally to raise the bars have had little
effect On members Of congress because
Of the pressure in reverse which has
been brought to bear by other inter
ests.
This immigration question is rather
a delicate one to discuss. To give the
reasons for the demands for more dras-
tic exclusion legislation means that one
must go into matters which many per-
sons probably think had better be kept
under cover because of the danger of
%arousing religious or racial animosi-
ties.
The drive, If 1t so may be called. In
behalf of Strengthening the exclusion
measure has been made not only by
the representatives of labor. who fear
wage cuts and a glutted labor market,
but by organizations of various kinds
and descriptions, some of them per-
haps not altogether open in their man.
ifestations of opposition to further adj
mission of the foreigners.
Elements for Exclusion.
The Japanese exclusion matter
stands by itself, and it needs no e
PLANTATION. As for the rest Of the pro-
posed exclusion legislation. it has been
favored unquestionably by what may
be called the America for Americans"
elements In the population; by organi-
cations which say boldly enough that
there are too many Europeans of G
certain kind in this country by most
Of the officials Of the great soldier
body, the American Legion. and IN
questionably by a society which re-
Gently has had more publicity than its
garb would suggest that it seeks.
In Washington there are advocates
Of the measure proposing increased
restriction rules who say that the op.
Grafton of the new statute will have
the beneficent result of preventing q
further increase In the racial preju-
dices which exist today, ever If men
try to cover their eyes TO the fact. The
advocates OF the bill hold that the for
eigners who now are here can be as
simulated after awhile if no great ad-
ditional numbers of them are admitted.
The argument is that assimilation OF
the foreigners here should be perfect
ed before assimilation is made impos-
sible.
The feeling among members of con-
gress is stronger today on this general
subject apparently than ever it has
been before. 1t is said that many
members of congress are also mem
bers of organizations which have been
looking with dismay upon the foreign
izing tendencies in this country. In
a way when a vote comes on this immi-
grafton measure some of the members
of congress may vote as they would
have voted In meeting halls at home,
lodge meetings, If one cares so to put 1t.
Where Opposition Comes From.
Opposition to the legislation is to be
expected from a good many sources.
Steamship companies will object be-
cause their directors seem to think
that the matter is mi of vital impor-
lance to their finances. Organizations
representing the various foreign ma
tionals will object as they always have
objected, but objection from these so
cieties, some congressman seem to
think will injure rather than benefit
the general cause of opposition.
1t is of course only possible that this
tightening immigration restriction
can become a law at this ses-
sion, but unlike other proposed legis-
Iation there seems to be a likelihood
that the next congress will be as
strongly in favor of Its enactment as
Is the case with the present congress.
It seems to be the feeling here that
the liberals, progressives or radicals,
as they variously are called, are more
likely to be in hearty favor of the pro-
posed legislation than their brethren
Of the conservative and s~emi-conserv-
alive ranks. There is nothing, how
ever to show that members who might
pay attention ordinarily to the de-
mands of certain kinds of great in
dustries will care in this particular
case to respond to their pleas.
The reports which have come from
organizations engaged in the work of
Americanization of the foreigners have
been in the main favorable, but never
theless Americanization is said to be
rather uphill work. The word is that
1t cannot be done adequately so long
as the non-English speaking communi-
ties in this country continue daily TO
Increase in numbers.
Vacation Journeys Planned.
During the war and just after 1t the
of the United States was