Evening star., 1924-02-28
ALIEN NQUOTACUT
TOPPER CENT
Senate Committee Also
Adopts 1910 Census as
immigration Basis.

The census of 1910 was definitely
adopted today by the Senate .immi-
grafton committee as the basis for
immigration quotas under the new
immigrat tion law.
The committee also decided by a
close vote to reduce the quota per-
centage from per cent to per cent.
A subcommittee was appointed to
confer with the State Department on
which American consulates abroad
would weed out undesirables. A pub
lie hearing on the bill will be given
March s.
Colt Statement Heard
A statement by Senator Colt of
Rhode Island. chairman Of the COM
mittee. vigorously opposing the pro-
posed census change on the ground
that the resulting decrease in the
quotas for nationals of southern and
eastern Europe and the increase for
those of northern and central Europe
would be a discrimination against the
former, was before the committee to-
day, and copies also have been sent
to Secretary Hughes and members OF
the House committee.
THE grave objection to the 1890
census as quota basis" said Chair
man Colt, "is due to the fact that the
great volume Of immigrants from
northern and western Europe came to
this country before 1890. and the
great volume Of immigrants from
southern and eastern 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 according to the
census of 1890 will necessarily result
in wide discrimination, approaching
in some instances almost to exclusion,
against the racial groups from south
ern and eastern Europe.
Figures Show Fluctuation.
There we're only 1S2,5S0 foreign
born from Italy in this country in
1890, as compared with 1,343,125 in
1910. There were only 1884 for
eign-born from Russia in this coun-
try in 1890, as compared with 1,1S4,-
412 in 1910. On the other hand. the
foreign-born from Ireland decreased
519,25S in number between 1890 and
1910, and the foreign-born from Ger
many decreased 473,657 between 1890
and 1910.
These figures simply illustrate the
fact that by adopting the census OF
1890 as a 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 immigrants
from southern and eastern Europe.
The present quota law adopted
different principle and under 1t
sought to base the quota on the num-
Der of each racial group now in the
country. The census Of 1920 was not
complete and therefore was not avail
able, so the census OF 1910 was taken
as the nearest date for carrying out
this principle; and the quota was
fixed at per cent of each racial
group"
Purpose Achieved.
THE present quota law has achiev-
ed its purpose. 1t positively regu-
lates the number of aliens admitted.
1t can increase OF decrease the num-
ber at any time by simply changing
the percentage. 1t has reduced the
inlmigra ton from Europe from more
than a million a year, in 1913-14, to
357201, and 1t has reduced the I'M
migration from southern and eastern
Europe and Turkey from 915,974, In
1914, to 159,646.
1--WE must not forget that an tmml-
grant is an international as well as
a national unit, and that foreign gov
concern. Nor should we forget that
nothing so arouseS feelings of resent
ment and intenSifies racial unity as
racial discrimination. and that we
have millions of these racial groups
in this country whom we want to as
simulate and make patriotic American
citizens"