Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-03
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

thirst for religious liberty, drove them
Into Holland--even az Kaiser Wilhelm
got in Dutch" for another kind Of
liberty. II the Puritans had not been
like Richard III. sent before his time
into this breathing world" they might
have met Wilhelm, for one touch If
exile makes the whole world cousins.
But. anyhow. according to Herr
Seeger, they got some of the overflow
of kultur. even among the Holland
ers. who. Herr Seeger is good enough
to state. are descended from the Ger
mans. However. he further adds.
the fana tic1sm and intolera nee Of the
Puritan pioneers has been transmit
ted. although in a. modified form. 10
their descenda nts of today. In their
mental attitudes they constitute an
antagonistic contrast to the Ameri-
cans OF German ancestry. who. az
rule. are OF humane, cheerful and
tolerant disposition" TN Belgium 90
demonstrated. in 1916. es mag seinl
These quotations from the editorials
of the Official organ of the Steuben
Society. championing the unchaf1Ce-
ableness of the present quotas. to
bring more kultur TO America than
English physiological atavism." will
he more enthusiastically appreciated
when we read the sentiments express
ciety. held at Mecca Temple. West
Fifty-sixth street. New York. Febrn-
airy 10. for the special purpose OF de-
manding a repeal OF the national
origins" clause of the 1924 act. which
ia to go into effect next July I.
On the same date. the Progressive
published an editorial by its managing
editor. Frederick F. Schrader. who
was formerly connected with the
cha 1T err was revoked during the war.
In this editorial IT was stated that
the Steuben Society was formed when
"a number of these stout hearted men
in New York resolved to form a se-
cret society to which only American
citizens of German blood. however re-
mote their ancestry. should he ad-
The program" OF the SO
ciety includes. according to the edito-
rial, military drill. a revision OF
the Versailles treaty" and "a reVi-
sion of the immigration act OF 1925
which. Mr. Schrader said. could be
accounted for only on the theory OF
nativistic influences.
Until this morning there appeared
to be no prospect that any action
would he possible in the House toward
the modification of the national
origin clause Of the law. but at a
late hour yesterday it was decided to
permit the matter to be considered
at 1890 today. After spirited fight
on the floor. lead by Chairman john
son. the Senate joint resolution was
adopted by the House, postponing the
national origin basis of quotas for
one year. That will give the census
experts time to complete their anal
ysis of the various races whose
blood has contributed to the making
up OF the population now known as
American. which will then become the
ba sis OF immigration admissiOns-un.
less or until the law is further
changed at future sessions. The ma
tional origins basis cannot go into
effect now until July l, 1928. and not
then unless the President. on April 1,
1928, issues a proclamation announc-
ing the quotas under 1t.
Under the s. J. resolution SO. now
accepted by the House. wives and
children (up to 81 years of age for
children) will come in, to join the
already here. by priority
within the quotas. This takes the
place of the Wadsworth bill in the
Senate, which would have admitted
them in addition to the present quotas
to limit of $4,000. This will admit
girls with their parents, up to 81
years OF age. Supplementary quotas to
about 5000.
Today. Representative Albert John.
son. chairman of the immigratiox
is to introduce a new bit
FOR immigration restriction. II can
not be considered at the session, clos.
Ing tomorrow. but II may be dis.
,ussed in anticipa ton of next r>ecena-
ber's session. This bill repeats So
national origin" clause, and in JxN
Ter TO strengthen restriction. while
with the present basis per
cent of each nationality present here
In 1Ss0-it will deduct 10 per cent
,f every quota each year until In 10
years all immigration will be shut
'ut, unless permitted by later legis-
alton which may be found desirable
under future conditions.
1t Is freely predicted In Congress-
hat this immigration restriction
question Is destined to arouse most
bitter racial disputes and contro-
within the next year. The
bitterness comes mainly not from the
foreign countries, but from the alien
born peoples. already. here who are
ealous- for the presttge az hair re-
Ipeccfve races. ~ aNa
frec~rs~hs tna1 - n>~1 y 1919