Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-28
GOVERNOR non. INITIAL
OVER MOVE FAIRFIELD GROUP
TO MAKE HIM C, 0, p, CANDIDATE
SENATE COMMITTEE
TO BEGIN WORK ON
IMMIGRATION Law

Washington, Feb. 27-voting on pro-
posed legislation to amend the pres
ent immigration law is scheduled to
be begun tomorrow by the Senate i'm
migration committee.
. First on the committee program Is
disposition of a proposal to substitute.
, as basis Of operation of the present
3 per cent. quota law. the foreign-born
population shown by the 1890 census
for that shown in the 1910 census.
Adoption Of the 1890 basis would mean
a great reduction in the number of
emigrants admissible from southern
| and eastern Europe, with increased
quotas from northern and central Eu-
ropean countries.
Vigorous opposition to adoption of
the 1890 census standard which is pro-
vided in the bill now before the House
immigration committee. is expressed in
a statement prepared by Senator Colt,
Republican, of Rhode Island. chairman
Of the Senate committee, for the COM
mittee's consideration. Copies of the
statement also are being sent to Secre-
tary Hughes and members of the House
committee.
1.-THE grave objection to the 1890 GEN.
sus as a quota basis" said Chairman
Colt, lis due to the fact that the great
volume of imm grants from northern
| and western Europe came to this coun-
| try before 1890 and the great volume
| of immigrants from southern and east
ern Europe came to this country after
| 1890. and hence a quota immigration
percentage law based on the number OF
each racial group in the country ac-
| cording to the census of 1890 Will ne
ccssarily result in a wide dis.crimina-
| ton. approaching in some instances al
most to exclusion against the racial
groups from southern and eastern Eu-
rope.
There were only 1880 foreign
! horn from Italy in this country in 1890
as compared with 1913, 12J in 1910.
There were only 1864 foreign-born
from Russia in this country in 1890 as
compared with 1.1Si,412 in 1910. on
the other hand. the foreign-born from
.. ireland decreased 519,25S in number be-
tween 1890 and 1910, and the foreign
born from Germany decreased 4l3,6o1
between 1890 and 1910.
"These figures simply illustrate the
fact that by adopting the census OF
! 1890 as n quota basis we are going
back to the time when there was the
maximum number of immigrants
from northern and western Europe
and the minimum number OF imml-
grants from southern and eastern Eii-
rope.
, "rhe present quota law adopted n
different principle and under 1t there
/ is no such discrimination. 1T sought
, to base the quota on the number or
each racial group now in the country.
. The census of 1920 was not COM
plete and therefore was not available.
F., so the census of 1910 was taken as
/ the nearest date for carrying out this
, principle and the quota was fixed at
! 3 percent of each racial group.
1.-THE present quota law has achieV-
I eo its purpose. 1t positively rele%ates
| the number Of aliens admitted. 1t can
, increase or decrease the numher AT
I any time by simply changing the per-
ccntage. 1t has reduced the immigra-
| ton from Europe from more than
| million n wear in 1913-14 to 351,20l.
! and II has reduced the Immigration
| from southern and eastern Europe
and Turkey from 915,974 in 1913-14 to
| 1866
I'VE must not forget that an i'm
! migrant is an international as we'll as
| n national unit and that foreign gov
| ernments view this change with deep
| concern. Nor should we forget that
nothing so arouses feelings of resent
| ment and intensifics racial unity as
| racial discrmina ton. and that we
have millions OF these racial groups
| in this country whom we want to as
| simulate and make patriotic American
| citizens"