Evening star., 1953-07-30
- = =. :
Population Problem
Is Key Difference
In immigration Bills
By Robert K. Walsh


emergency immigration legisla-
tion sought by President Eisen-
hover tackled the task today of
deciding whether the. measure
should apply solely to refugees
or also deal with problems of
overpopulation.
That was not the only conflict
between separate bills passed by
House and Senate but it seemed
likely to prove the most trouble
some. Congressional leaders.
however, were confident of a
compromise in time for final en-
actment within a day or two.
From almost any viewpoint,
Senate passage of a bill yester-
day for admission of 100000 i'm
migrants, and House adoption
on Tuesday night of a bill pro-
viding for 217,000, was a major
victory for the Eisenhower adj
ministration. Former President
Truman failed in a somewhat
similar proposal last year.
Called "AlI-Refugee" Bill.
The Senate, plainly showing
the effects of fairly close meet
ing of minds between Repub-
lican leaders and Senator. Nc.
Carran, Democrat, of Nevada
approved its bill on a 63-to- 30
vote. The margin was consider
ably greater than the 221-to-185
tally by which the House adopted
its measure the previous evening.
Both Senator Watkins, Repub-
l1can. of Utah, sponsor of the
Senate bill, and Senator Nc
Carran, its principal critic orig
lnally, described it as an all
refugee" bill. Acting Republican
Leader Knowland, while not so
specific, nevertheless sided with
Senator McCarran and 81 other
members in defeating 90 Sena-
tors on an important issue which
pointed up a basic difference
from the House bill.
That test on an amendment
proposed by Senator Ives. Repub-
hcan, OF New York. and several
others, was whether $4,000 Ital-
lanS should be admitted as Ital-
ian nationals or as refugees of
Italian ethnic origin" Senator
McCarran warned that if the
provision for nationals was writ
ten in, the bill never would get
out OF conference. He charged
1t would change the whole con-
cept of the refugee" bill and
weaken this country's existing
immigration policy.
Before the amendment was
beaten. Senator Pastore, Demo-
crat. of Rhode Island, urged that
II be approved because it was in
line with Gen. Eisenhower's
original recommendation to ad-
NIT non-quota groups not only
to assist refugees but to help
relieve population overcrowding
In some countries.
OverpOpulation Easing.
In the House debate last Tues
day several members referred to
the House bill as being not
merely designed to assist refugees
but also to set at least a token
example in trying to ease crowded
population conditions in coun-
tries such as Italy.
The greater number of special
admissions under the Senate and
House bills would be European
refugees who fled from Commu-
mist controlled countries, or other
special groups such as 1000 or
phans.
The Senate bill contains an
amendment authorizing admis-
sion Of 1000 Chinese refugees
whose visa applications were ap-
proved by the Chinese National
lst Government on Formosa. The
House bill provides for admis-
sion Of 1000 Chinese refugees
living at Hong Kong. But the
House bill also would admit 1000
Portuguese, 1000 Arabs, 1000
japanese and 5000 former Polish
soldiers living in exile in Eng
land.
Some 70 amendments had
been prepared in the Senate.
Most of them were withdrawn
to speed final action. 4
The Senate defeated, 40 to 40,
an amendment offered by Sena-
tor Jenner, Republican, of In
diana to authorize the President
to suspend or end the emergency
program If other countries failed
to do their fair share" in trying
to solve the refugee problem.
Another amendment unsuc-
ceSsfully submitted by Senator
Jenner would have barred aliens
admitted under the law from OBJ
tanning social security benefits