The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-31
LABOR SECRETARY
DAVIS CHANGES
HYMN or HATE"
Never Favored Alien
Bills, So He Says

in New Haven on Sunday and AL
speech delivered in that city by Sec
rotary Of Labor Davis the following
day.
Mr.. Davis speaking over the radio
denied emphatieally that he had ever
favored registration of aliens hLwolv-
ing finger-printing or espionage, and
claimed that he had in fact always
strenuously opposed such proposed
measures. He said he was merely
advocating a voluntary registration
system which would benefit the alien
by making naturalization easier and
simpler.
Seems To Be Change.
This statement was surprising to-
the Council for Protection Of Foreign
Born Workers which has been fight
ing all anti-alien measures such as
the various proposed registration
bill The council seems to remember
very distinctly that year ago the
Secretary Of Labor was backing the
pernicious Aswell bill which not only
calls for finger-printing but also for
taxing for CONSUMPTION at the will of
the president, and for such Prus-
sian system Of registry that it would
result in constant spying upon al
workers every move and action.
Davis Yields.
The Secretary Of Labor in his an
nual report, issued in December,
stated that in view of the fact that
so many people seemed to object to
the proposals for compulsory regisr
tration-such as had been brought up
at every session of Congress since
1922-he was willing to try some
scheme Of voluntary registration of
aliens. In other words he felt it
necessary to yield to the tremendous
pressure Of public opinion against
this attempted attack upon the for
eign-bofn.
Inserting The Thin Edge.
In line with this change in Mr..
Davis plans, Representative Holiday
introduced new bill, on January 10th
Of this year, calling upon Congress to
set certain dates for a voluntary
registration Of aliens to be carried
or. This is presumably for the pur-
pose of aiding them in becoming
naturalized.
But the Council for Protection Of
Foreign Born Workers asks why
there is need of passing law if the
registration is to be optional.
They feel confident that what will
actually result is demand for COM
pulsory registration when the volun-
tary scheme has failed as it surely
will. If a certain proportion of
aliens register-perhaps at the COM
mand Of employers-the authorities
can then say that those workers who
did not register must be suspicious
characters and therefore ought to be
forced to register.
Whatever Mr.. Davis may say at
this time, the Council for Protection
Of Foreign Born Workers is con-
WINGED that he desires-and proposes
to introduce as soon as the public will
stand for it--a compulsory system of
registration Of aliens. After that
win come registration for all of us.
Mr.. Davis said in his New Haven't
speech: II know that many of you
here are opposed to the enrolment
of aliens in the United Stats. am
unable to fathom why. have pro-
posed no espionage, no finger-printing,
no other Identification other than the
fact of enrolment. Finger printing
measures have been advocated, but
have strenuously opposed them.
Council Gets Results.
The Connecticut Council for Pro-
lection of Foreign Born Workers be-
lieves that nothing could have
brought forth such statement but
its gathering Of more than $50 dele
gates at conference which opposed
all such measures, and voted to con-
tinue to fight them as long as they
were before Congress.
Sundays conference, according to
Miss Nina Samorodin, Secretary Of
the National organization, had rep
resentatives of every union, Of CEN
trail trades, Of fraternaI and religious
organizations from different cities.
Couldn't Break II Up.
"There were twenty delegates re-
presenting certain Workman's Circle
branches and the Socialists, says
Miss Samorodin, "who came all pre-
Iared to break up the meeting. But
after they had had thoro hearing, |
they were flouted by the delegates,
part Of them withdrew and the con-
ference proceeded to most success
full conclusion
If one council conference could SO
influence Secretary Of Labor Davis.
hundred Councils if established
thruout the country could no doubt
crush out all attempts to prosecute
the foreign born worker with any
more proposed registration and de-