Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-01

President Hoover's expressed disap-
prevail of the racial origins provision OF
the immigration law, which he recently
made effective by proclamation, pleaSes
the press generally and inspires pre-
dictions of action when Congress con-
venes. There is very little support for
what the Omaha World Herald calls
this attempt to divide the Nordic sheep
from the non-Nordic goats"
Some Of our leading anthropologists
are In considerable doubt as to whether
there Is any such animal as a genuine
Nordic," observes the Nebraska daily.
What the immigration law trainers had
in mind, however, was to give the north
ern and western European countries the
edge over those of southern and eastern
Europe. 1t develops now, however, that
the switch to the national origins quota
basis Is going to do just the opposite"
Apparently Mr.. Hoover believes 1t
works gross injustice to large element
of his country's population; that it is
indefensibly preferential Of some racial
strains and absurdly proscriptive OF
other racial strains" suggests the Bir-
mingham News. "This injustice he
would have Congress correct at its spe-
cial session by modifying the objection.
able provisions Of the existent law. Until
the modification is made, however, the
President executes the law as he finds
1t. It Is confidently hoped that
his effort to have Congress correct the
injustice he complains Of will be sue
cessful."
Under the new PLAN" according to
the Buffalo Evening News, immigration
from Great Britain and Northern Ire
land would be nearly doubled, that OF
Germany would be cut by half, the
quotas Of the Irish Free State and the
Scandinavian countries would be ma
terially reduced and those of Italy, Po-
land, Russia and other countries
slightly increased. Because there are
grave doubts as to the justice of the
proposed quotas, Congress would do well
to defer for q third time the operation
of the plan, so that 1t may be subjected
to more searching examination. II the
plan cannot be applied exactly, 1t
should be rejected. however desirable in
theory the national origins idea may be. T"
"The United States" the Springfield
Union argues, els entitled to regulate
It's immigration by any policy that It
sees fit, but it should not run the risk
of damaging its interests at home and
abroad by the futile pursuit of an ideal.
Such delicate undertaking as this
should have firmer and more defensi-
BILE basis than conjecture. The present
system, based upon the census Of 1890,
meets the requirements Of the situation
and IS not open to the objections that
the national origins plan Is continually
subject to. Congress should not fail to
take steps to remedy the situation In the
special session"
"These new quotas materially affect
ing the character of American tmmi-
grafton" agrees the st. Paul Pioneer
Press, ARE untrustworthy, unsound and
certainly do not carry out the inten-
ton of Congress that immigration re-
striction be put on q scientific basis. 1t
Is not difflcult to see why the commit
tee appointed in 1924, pointing out that
IL has no faith In its work, declares We
cannot assume responsibility Tor such
conclusions The first complete census
was not taken until 1870. It did not
cover the continental United States as
1t exists today, and there were doubts
as to its accuracy. NO RECORDS OF I'M,
migration by nationality were kept until
born In the country was not listed by
country OF origin until 1850. The re-
cordiig Of the nationality Of persons
not started until 1890. In addition,
there are All the difficulties arising from
mixed parentase, from changing Of
names and from shifting Of political
In Europe"
"The changes of lao years, both in
Europe and this country, have been
sweeping" the Kansas City Journal
Post records. "Sonie of the greatest
contributions to our, national stock came
after the Revolutionary War and largely
as q result Of the war. Some Of the
sturdiest lovers of liberty came because
of prosecutions, and their efforts con-
tributed to the growth and glory OF
America. Under the national origins
plan, the great stream OF Germans who
came here because Of the failure Of the
Prussian revolution Of 1913 would be