Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1923-01-19
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
sELECTlVE IMMIGRATION.

Cheap labor advocates want immi-
grants selected at the point of their
embarkation, and have the United
States set up examining boards to
sift out the type of labor best suited
for monopolized industry. This allur-
ing scheme is referred to as a con
structive program"
Before immigrants could be exam
ined at their point of embarkation the
commercial treaties with these nations
would have to be revised.
These treaties infinitely enumerate
the duties of United States consuls.
Before the United States could auth
orize its consuls to examine these inn
migrants or set up other examining
boards the permission of the nations
affected would have to be secured
This means revision of treaties, for
the United States or no other nation
would permit another country to set
up board with such sweeping powers
without its consent.
A treaty is not revised just for the
accommodation of one of the parties
Nations talk altruistic, but this is dip
lomacy. They act differently.
Hard bargains are demanded in
treaty making or treaty revision, and
it can not be conceived that any for
eign nation would agree, out of the
goodness of its heart, to change a
treaty so this country could secure
its physically fit, common labor and
keep out the less physically fit.
These foreign countries would de.
mand an equivalent for their conces.
sion, possibly a voice or some author.
ity on immigration to the United
States. To grant this request woulC
mean that the United States would
surrender its sovereignty on immigra
ton. To state this possibility brings
the whole question of "selective i'm
migration" crashing to the ground.
1t was recently declared by tn,
chairman Of the house committee OF
immigration that lecturers and rep
resentatiyes of chambers of commerc,
and manufacturers association
cease talking about 'selective immi
grafton until they understand thi
question"
Cheap labor advocates formerl,
posed as humanitarians. They want
ed to "extend the blessings of Ameri
can democracy to the worlds OPP
pressed" This attitude appealed t
idealists and sentimentalists, VIII
were always trapped by reaction
patriotic phrases.
These employers have adandone
this policy. Now they frankly deman
strong backs and illiterates. The
make a sharp distinction between
requirements for admission and TO
naturalization.
This is summary of the positio
these employers now hold: "Abolis
the literacy test. We don't nee
workers who can read. Only ignor
ant workers are coptented, and that
the kind we want. 1t is none Of on
concern if the government woul
Americanize these immigrants. Wha
we want is cheap, ambitionless labor
not American citizens"
This campaign is being directed b
the national association of manufaC
turers, which declares that the gov
ernment should register, distribute
educate, and otherwise supervise tn
alien during the period of his alien
age"
This period of aliensge will be foi
ever, as far as the employers are cor
cerned, as it suits their purpose t
have the alien registered and dis
tributed by the government.
These employers are not backwar
in their demands. They want tn
government to maintain a stead
stream of strong backs and illiteratC
flowing into this country that ii
wages of common labor and sem
skilled will be set 10y the freshly a
rived immigrants from southeastel
Europe.