Evening star., 1927-05-18
JOHNSON URGES RESTRICTION
OF MEXICAN-U. S. IMMIGRATION
House Committee Chairman In Address
Before Commerce Body Appeals
for Better Protection.

Restriction of immigration into the
United States from Mexico was advo-
Gated strongly last night by Repre-
| sentative Johnson of Washington,
chairman of the House immigration
committee, in a brief address delivered
! before the final meeting of the season
| of the Washington Chamber of Com.
merce, which was held at the Willard
Hotel.
Declaring that a limitation must be
| placed on immigration from Mexico
as means of protecting both the
American standards and the whole
sale numbers of Mexican poems "who
are being sucked into the United
States as a cheap labor supply" Mr..
Johnson predicted that the first steps
in the direction of such a prohibi.
| ton on Mexican immigration would
be made in the forthcoming session
| Of Congress.
Points to Advantages OF Ban.
Mr.. Johnson took issue with the
| position of the delegates to the an
nual meeting of the United States
Chamber Of Commerce, recently held
| mere, who went on record opposing
| limitation of Mexican immigration.
| In connection with the Mexican
statement, the speaker pointed to the
benefits resulting from the shutting
off of unlimited immigration from
other continents. Since the war, he
estimated, approximately 5000, 900
probable Immigrants into the United
States had been barred.
Before the World War, he pointed
out, immigrants were flocking into
| this country at the rate of a million
a year. Following the recession that
| occurred during the war period, he
| said, the figure approximated 500 900
| a year and had not the restricting
law been enacted six years ago the
| total would again have mounted to
| the million mark.
Sees Greater Washington.
The speaker also discussed infor.
mally a number Of points touching on
| local questions. commenting on the
rapid growth of the District of Co
| lumbia, he predicted that within IS
years Washington would have a great
er population than it would be able
| properly to care for. Citing the ex-
| perience of New York, Los Angeles
and other cities, Mr.. Johnson de-
| clared overpopulation of the urban
centers to be acurse on modern civil
lization. Sixty-five per cent of the
| STATES
| lives in cities, he said.
Touching briefly on local govern
| mental affairs, Mr.. Johnson said he
was in favor Of granting greater
| municipal powers to the District Com.
| missioners to relieve Congress of a
multitude of details of the local gov
ernment which now must be passed
on by Congress.
In business session of the meet
ing the chamber adopted a resolution
submitted by the committee on parks.
Fairgrounds. highways and bridges,
indorsing the proposal that a width
OF 200 feet be. adopted as a standard
for the right of way of main boule.
wards or highways leading into the
District, and urging that nearby
States be asked to adopt a similar
standard affecting highways connect
ing with District roads.
The proposal was submitted by Leo
B. Abernethy, chairman of the COM
mittee, and was designed to forestall
traffic congestion on the main traffic
arteries leading into the District
. William o. Tufts, chairman of the
committee on universities, colleges
and private schools, reported that a
definite movement now is under way
here seeking to find a means of curb
ing the incorporation of diploma
mills" in the District. Referring to
the "scandalous situation which
some time ago was exposed here show
ing how irresponsible persons might
organize schools of the diploma mill
type, Mr.. Tufts said the committee
of the chamber in cooperation with
other civic groups and District Off.
cials now are studying a means to
prevent operation of such institutions.
Boon to Industry Predicted.
Development of a great electric
power plant at Great Falls, such as
recently was projected in a proposal
laid before the Federal Trade Com
mission by a private concern, would
prove a boon to Washington's indus
tries, it was pointed out by Martin
A. Leese, president Of the chamber, in
a brief discussion Of the subject.
The Great Falls plant and others
embraced in the proposed plan, he
said, would make possible the develop
ment of electric power cheap enough
for exclusive industrial uses here. Re
ferring to the movement now under
way here for expansion Of the indus
tries of the Washington metropolitan
area, Mr.. Leese sail that there could