Daily Kennebec journal., 1924-04-09
House Progresses
On General Debate
OF Immigration Bill

Washington, April 8-The house
held session tonight to wind Up
general debate on the johnson i'm
migration bill. Tomorrow and Thurs
day tho measure will be laid aside
for other business but will be taken
up again Friday with amendments
in order.
For time today, immigration also
was under discussion in the senate.
Advocating his amendment to the
immigration bill pending in the SEN
ate for exclusion of Japanese on
lines similar to the johnson bill,
Senator Shortridge, Republican. CAL
tfornia, assailed the ''gentlemen's
agreement" with the Japanese and
declared 1t had failed to work to the
best interests of the Pacific coast.
In the house Representatives Ba-
ker. Democrat, California, and Mil
Ter, Republican. Washington, ex-
pressed similar views. They con-
tended that the provision in the
johnson bill which would entry for
permanent residence Of aliens in
eligible for citizenship was needed
to cope with the vexing racial pro-
blem on the west coast.
Late in the day the Senate adopted.
without a record vote. an amendment,
approved by the immigration commit
tee, to restore students to the class ex-
empted from the quota count. It was
opposed by Senator Shortridge and 9TH
er western senators.
Convening at IL o'clock, an hour
earlier than usual, the House devoted
the entire afternoon to immigration de-
bate. After a two-hour dinner recess
1t went back into session for another
three hours discussion. With time
divided equally between supporters
and opponents of the bill, about SO
representatives discussed its provisions
and the policy 1t lays down. Those
in opposition, for the most part, at
tackled the sections which would fx
immigration quotas at per cent bas-
ed on the 1890 census instead of 3 per
cent. on the 1910 census. as now pro-
vided.
At ono stage Of the debats there
was a bit Of by-play which nearly de-
yeloped into fist fight. Representa-
tives Watkins OF Oregon and Gallivan
of Massachusetts,. both Democrats,
came close to q clash when Watkins
took exception to an undertone remark
Gallivan directed at him and started
toward the Massachusetts member with
fist clenched. Several House members
got between the two and there was no
exchange Of blows.
During the house debate several
members. voicing opposition to the
Johnson bill, declared they would
rather see immigration prohibited
than to have the pending measure
enacted into law. Representative
Jacobstein of New York and Howard
OF Nebraska, both Democrats, were
among those holding this view.
Chairman Madden Of the appro-
priations committee also came out in
opposition to the bill. particularly
because. he said, 1t would do nothing
to put a stop to influx Of laborers
from. Mexico.
Joining with Republicans on the
immigration committee in urging
favorable. action on the johnson bill,
Representative Box. Of Texas, a
Democratic member of the commits
tee. declared the bill should be pas
sed by the house without a single
amendment.
House leaders, hoping to put the
johnson measure to a vote before
the senate can act on Its bill, which
differs materially from the house
proposal are pressing, for finsl ae-
tion on the bin by Saturday. -