Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-10-30
RN WILL r. KENNEDY.


sus figures showing six to seven mil.
lion unnaturalized foreign born in the
United States, some 80 per cent OF
whom can never be naturalized. offer
a serious commentary on our treat.
ment of the alien IN the United
States" Secretary James j. Davis of
the Department of Labor, himself for
eign born, explains the proposed legis-
lation which is to be considered by
the incoming Congress for the annual
enrolment of aliens.
No feature of this mea sure, Secre-
tary Davis says, lis more important
than that which seeks to promote the
advancement of immigrants in knowl-
edge of this country and their adjust
ment to the situation here This is
Secretary Davis reply to opposition
led by Representative DiCkStein of
New York. and he reSentS Representa-
tive DiCkStein's statement that he de
nounCe" il as originating from those
who are prejudiCed against aliens and
regard them either as criminals OF
potential criminals.
The proposal for annual enrolment
of aliens was first made by Secretary
Davis in his annual report OF 1922.
and has been repeatedly urged in cub
seQuent years. Secretary Davis oh
iectS strenuouslv to having the pro
posed legislation referred to as the
finger print measure"
For some reason. perhaps inten-
tional by the opposition. the impress
sion is being broadcast that | propose
the 'fnger-printing of all aliens in the
United States. says the Secretary.
Il have never proposed such meas.
,rrn nI ;N+A to
Discussing the scope OF his propo.
sal and What ii is intended to accom-
pliSh. Secretary Davis said: Il do not
know whether the estimate that there
are one million aliens illegally resident
in the United States is too high or toe
low: il has been stated 10 he as high
a million and half. This does not
mean. however. that these people are
resident in the United States in de
fiance Of the immigration law. but
perhaps in most cases merely that
their original entry was informal and
therefore no record made of their ad
mission. Prior to 1921 he explains
there was no numerical limitation
upon the number of immigrants who
could enter the United States. Many
came prior 20 that time, as no doubt
have come since. across the borders
withS,it applying for inspection and
having the formal record made OF ad
mission.
Barred to Citizenship.
Those who entered prior TO 1921. -
Secretary Davis empha sized. are not
remaining in the United States In de.
tiance of the immigration laws. for the
statute of limitations has run against
the offense of surreptitious entry. and
T. i'm
itation many of those who entered in
that way believed that they had a
perfect right to do SO.
However. since there is no record
Of admission of these people" SeCre-
tary DAVIS pointed out. and since
the privilege of naturalization IS
based upon a record of admission more
than five Years old. il follows that
these peopls will never be eligible for
citizenship. The unfortunate part of
the matter is" he said. that many
such persons do not realize this until
they make application for citize nship,
and if they desire to become natural
lied they must make a new entry and
commence their tve-year residence
period from the date of the new entry.
In many cases it is impossible for
them to make this new entry because
of the numerical limitation placed on
immigrants of their ma tionality. Such
persons would have to wait their
regular turn for quota immigration
visas, and in many instances the pc
riod OF waiting might run to several
years"
One of Secretary Davis aims in
recommending the enrolment of
aliens is to provide a means for legal
izing the entry of such persons
&c ch that fhair nl.aSnncp
in the United States Is not detri-
mental to the best interests of the
Government.
He calls attention that the years OF
the World War. including those
prior to our own participation in hos
Lilities. were lean immigration years.
vet, notwithsta nding that. the census
of 1920 showed that there We're in
the United States between 100000
and 100000 unnaturalized foreign
born. It is safe to say" continued
Secretary Davis. that 95 per cent
of these had been in the United
States more than the tive-year period
required for naturalization. This Is
Il serious commentary on our treat
ment of the alien in the United
States 1t shows a lack of proper in
terest by the United States in the
aliens resident here. Our education
al system and our naturalization
process have failed to provide sde-
uuate and suita BILE training for the
aliens who have come to us to stay
and who desire to become our fellow
citizens.
Would Bar Undesirables.
Every extension of the seiective
and restrictive provisions of our i'm
migration laws has placed high
premium on illegal entry into the
United States and is resulting in
bringing surreptitiously into our
midst a great many persons who
could not have passed inspection at
our immigration ports he stresses.
These surreptitious entrants make
their way into the country knowing
that they are violating the law. No
one will contend that an alien who
enters the United States in willful
violation OF law will ever make a
good citizen. The enrolment of
aliens would help to reduce the num-
Der of aliens who enter without in
spection. but Secretary Davis ar.
cues. 1T would serve the United
States in far greater measure, In
that the enrolment which | propose
would be made not by police officers
hut through and under the direction
of the naturalization service, the
records of the enrolment to be used
to facilitate the naturalization proc
ess.
mo feature OF the measure pro-
posed is more important than that
which seeks to promote the advance
ment of immigrants in knowledge or