Evening star., 1923-04-22
CAPITAL AND LABOR NEAR
ROW ON IMMICRATIONLAWS
Latter Favors Restriction, While Former
Would Drop Bars to Ease Indus
trial Situation.

mitted by the Turks upon these peo-
pie were circulated. Finally the Sem
ate put through a bill providing for
the admission. in a very restricted de-
gree, of Armenian refugees only.
What did the House committee do
when it received the Senate measure?
1t promptly clapped on an amendment
which reduced the percentage from 8
to 2. although making it easier for
blood relations of aliens in this coun-
try to gain admission.
Efforts made to amend the immi-
grafton laws will, 1t is believed, be
directed toward at least three OBJ
jectives:
1. Selective immigration.
2. Examination of immigrants in
European countries by American
agents.
8. The registration Of all aliens in
this country.
Secretary Davis in a recent report
to the President touched upon these
matters. Senator Sterling of South
Dakota. republican, and a member of
the immigration committee, is laying
great stress upon selective system
But Senator Sterlings proposal for
selective immigration goes much fur
ther than does that Of Secretary Da-
Wis. The latter merely proposes that
American officials shall be stationed
abroad to examine and select immi-
grants. while the quotas of the vari-
Gus nations remain as they are today.
Senator Sterling in his proposal
would set up an immigration commits
sion of five members, supreme in i'm
migration matters under certain limi-
tations imposed by Congress. Selec-
ton would be made as to race and
nationality, capabilities. the need or
American industries and the possi-
bility of assimilation.
Maximum Is 357.S03.
Under the existing law the maxi
mum quotas of immigrants from all
the countries combined per year is
S57.S03-a considerable number of i'm
migrants, after all. 1t may be men
toned that up to April IL OF the
present fiscal year 2S3.S33 immigrants
have entered the United States, leav-
ing 1856 to enter by July next.
Many aliens are now smuggled into
the United States in violation of the
laws. Secretary Davis has estimated
that the number smuggled ranges
from 100 to 1000 per day. If the law
is amended to provide for the regis
tration Of all aliens in this country |
it might aid the authorities greatly !
in putting down this illegal entry. |
Furthermore, 1t would aid in Ameri- |
canization work among the aliens and
probably would hasten the naturali- |
zation OF aliens admitted to this
country. That there will be loud pro-
tests from people of alien blood now
residing in this country against the
registration plan is to be expected.
The proposal to have American Off
cials in foreign countries examine |
and select immigrants from those !
countries might lead to protests and
international complications, it is said |
in some quarters. But the proponents
of the plan point out that 1t would |
be far better for the immigrants |
themselves to be examined and turn |
ed down before making the long |
journey to the United States rather
than to be turned down after reach |
ing tneSe SnOreS.
Industries Make Demand.
The demand by capital for more |
immigrant laborers comes from many |
Industries. Wages have been going
up generally. This means higher
prices for the things that labor pro-
duces. But 1t also means less un-
employment, more satisfied workers
with a greater purchasing capacity. |
The scarcity of labor is about to |
hit the agricultural industry, it Is
reported here. The farmers will re-
gard the scarcity OF labor from a
somewhat different viewpoint than
that of labor, for all they purchase, /
pected to increase in price at the
same time that farm labor goes up
in price.
At present the general sentiment
throughout the country, as judged by
editorial comment and the express
sions of men in public life. Is on the
side of labor in the controversy over
immigration. But here and there is |,
found criticism of the demands of
labor. 1t is charged that workmen
are not willing now to do full days
or weeks work. When they are get
ting higher pay for four days work
than they did for six days work in
the past, some Of the workers are
inclined to work only four days a
week. If such a condition became
widespread labor might be in the po-
sition OF the man who killed the
goose that laid the golden eggs, with
the pendulum of public sentiment
swinging against 1t.