Evening star., 1923-02-16
HOUSE GETS NEW
Immigration BILL
Hailed by Committee Major
ity as Nearest Perfection.
| Hit in Minority Report.
TO PRESS FOR ACTION
Chairman Johnson Will Urge
Prompt Passage of Substitute
for Senate Measure.

The new immigration bill was
formally reported to the House late
yesterday and Chairman Johnson of
tho immigration committee annouuc-
cd that he will press for prompt
action upon ii.
This bill came from the committees
as q substitute for the Senate bill to
admit $4,000 Armenian refugee or
phans. 1t proposes restricting immi-
grafton to 2 per cent of the nationals
of each country in the United States
at the time of the 1890 census.
Accompanying the bill were major
ity and minority reports in which the
measure was hailed on the one hand
as "a more nearly scientific plan of
regulation than anything heretofore
attempted" and asSatled on the other
hand as proposing a deliberate dis
elimination" against immigrants from
southern and eastern Europe.
Success in Few Years.
s~rhis measure will restrict immi-
grafton greatly" said tho majority
report.
IF continued for but few years
II will provide the way for the hand
ling of immigration To the United
States just as the people OF the
United States want it handled, safely, :,
sanely, humanely, with due regard
for the right Of the family 10 be con-
sidered as a unit, but with particular
care for the welfare of the United
States.
The State Department will recog-
nize no representation from other
countries that interfere or threatens
TO interfere with that right. our
treaty-making powers will make no
convention or treaty that takes away
from this generation or any future
generation the right to protect its
solidarity. the comfort, the safety OF
our nation and those who comprise it"
Adoption Of the 2 per cent quota
based on the 1890 census would be Il
deliberate discrimination against the
so-called newer Immigration" said
by Representatives Seigel OF. New
York, and Maloney OF massachusetts,
republicans, and SABBATH OF Illinois,
democrat.
SEQ Discrimination.
IF IL is not intended to arbitrarily
discriminate against the immigration
from Austria, Czechoslovakia. Den
mark, Italy, Norway. Poland. Ru-
mania, Sweden and other countries.
why did the proponents of the meas
ure take the 1890 census?" the report
asked 1T Is too apparent that 1t Is
intended not TO reduce immigration
from Great Britain and Germany, but
grafton from all other countries.
The minority indorsed the allo" :
ance Of a basis quota of 400 for all
countries and the provision permit
ting near-blood relatives to enter as
non-Quota immigrants. Also ap-
proval was given to the provisions
for the examination and investigation
of immigrants in the ports of en-
barkation for the United states an
the extremely strict provisions
which will re0uira immigration Ger
tificates.
Tho argument also was advanced
hy the minority that the bin would
close the doors To unskilled labor.
which, it was asserted, will shortly
be greatly needed"
Concerned in Z. s. Welfare.
Asserting that the signers were
not Interested in supplying cheap
labor" the report said they were
deeply concerned in the welfare OF
the United States, whose prosperity
depends upon having at least a sutti-
ctent amount of unskilled labor"
Referring to the provision of the
bill which would exclude japanese
immigrants, the majority report
called attention that the Supreme
Court recently had decided that ma
cionals of oriental countries were not
entitled to be naturaliZed as citizens
of the United States. and added:
THE committee feels fully justifi ed
20 correct the so-called 'gentlemen's
agreement which is understood to be
II mere memorandum.
THE committee believes that the
exceptions (relating to students. pro-
fesSional men and ministers of the
gospeD serve to clarity the gentle
mems agreement and that the enact
nent of the plan into law will end in
A satisfactory manner without fric-
sion a most troublesome problem"