Speech #540125837

Mr. Speaker. I wish to present a conference report on the immigration bill. The conference report was read. as follows: The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the amendments of the Senate to the bill (H. H. 7564) "An act to amend the immigration laws of the United States" having met. after full and free conference have agreed to recommend and do recommend to their respective Houses as follows: That the Senate recede from its amendment and agree to the House bill as follows: Strike out the first section all after the words " admission to the United States the following" and Insert: "All persons physically capable and over 16 years of age who can not read and write the English language or some other language. but a person not so able to read and write who is over 50years of age anai the parent or grandparent of a qualified immigrant over 21 years of age and capable of supporting such parent or grandparent may accompany such immigrant. or such a parent or grandparent may be sent for and come to join the family of a child or grandchild over 21 years of age. similarly qualified and capable and a wife or minor child not so able to read and write may accompany or e sent for and come to join the husband or parent similarly qualified and capable." Strike out the present section 2 and insert a new section as follows: "SEC. 2. For the purpose of testing the ability of the immigrant to read and write. as required by the foregoing section. the inspection officers shall be furnished with copies of the Constitution of the United States printed on numbered uniform pasteboard slips. each containing not less than twenty nor more than twentyfive words of said Constitution printed in the various languages of the immigrants in double small pica type. These slips shall be kept in boxes made for that purpose and so constructed as to conceal the slips from view. each box to contain slips of but one language. and the immigrant may designate the language in which he prefers the test shall be made. Each immigrant shall be required to draw one of said slips from the box and read. and afterwards write out. in full view of the immigration poicers. the words printed thereon. Each slip shall be returned to the box immediately after the test is finished. and the contents of the box shall be shaken up by an inspection officer before another drawing is made. No Immigrant failing to read and write out the slip thus drawn by him shall be admitted. but he shall be returned to the country from which he came at the expense of the steamship or railroad company which brought him. as now provided by law. The inspection officers shall keep in each box at all times a full number of said printed pasteboard slips. and in the case of each excluded immigrant shall keep a certified memorandum of the number of the slip which the said immigrant failed to read or copy out in writing. If in any case from any unavoidable cause the foregoing slips are not at hand for use. the inspection officers shall carefully and thoroughly test the ability of the immigrant to read and write. using the most appropriate and available means at their command* and shall state fully in writing the reasons why the slips are lacking. and describe the substitute method adopted for testing the ability of the immigrant." Strike out the present section 3 and insert a new section as follows: "SEc. 3. That the provisions of the act of March 3. 189. to facilitate the enforcement of the immigration and contractlabor laws. shall apply to the persons mentioned in section 1 of this act." Strike out the present sections 4. 5. and 6 and insert as follows: "SEC. 4. That it shall hereafter be unlawful for any male alien who has not in good faith made his declaration before the proper court of his intention to become a citizen of the United States to be employed on any public works of the United States. or to come regularly or habitually Into the United States by land or water for the purpose of engaging in any mechanical trade or manual labor. for wages or salary. returning from time to time to a foreign Country. "SEC. 5. That it shall be unlawful for any person. partnership. company or corporation knowingly to employ any alien coming into the United States in violation of the next preceding section of this act: -Provided. That the provisions of this act shall not apply to the employment of sailors. deck hands. or other employees of vessels. or railroad train hands. such as conductors. engineers. brakemen. firemen. or baggagemen. whose duties require them to pass over the frontier to reach the termini of their runs. or to boatmen or guides on the lakes and rivers on the northern border of the United States. Sac. 6. That any violation of the provisions of sections 4 and 5 of this act by any alien or citizen shall be deemed a misdemeanor. punishable by a fine not exceeding $500 or by imprisonment for the term of not exceeding one year. or byboth such fine and imprisonment. in the discretion of the court: Provided That all persons convicted of a violation of auction 4 of this act shall be deported to the country whence they came. "SEC. 7. That notwithstanding the provisions of this or any other existing law. the Secretary of the Treasury may permit aliens to enter this country for the purpose a tahing new arts or industries under such rules and regulations as he may provide." Add a new section. as follows: "SEC. 8. That this act shall not apply topersons arriving in the United States from any port or place in the Island oCuba. during the continuance of the present disorders there. who have heretofore been inhabitants of that island." Strike out the present section 7 and insert as follows: "SEC. 9.