I will explain to the Senator how that confusion in regard to the "English language" arose: When there was put into the bill the clause excluding all persons not eligible for naturalization. the attention of the committee of the Senate was called to the fact that the naturalization act required that every person who applied for naturalization should be able to sign his name to his application and should be able to speak English. The point was made that if we adopted language excluding persons not eligible for naturalization. it might be interpreted to mean persons who could not write and who were unable to speak in English. or read in English. I do not think it was legitimately open to that interpretation. but for greater precaution we put in a clause that Inability to read English or to write should not be ground of exclusion. In conference we framed the exclusion on the ground of noneligibility to naturalization in such a way that it removed all possible question as to the qualification for naturalization being applied to the admission of the immigrant. The only thing applied to the immigrant is that if he does not belong to the white race or to the black race he can not come in. unless otherwise provided by treaty or agreement. That was the origin of the confusion about the reading test being in English. The reading test is not in English.
Keywords matched
naturalization immigrant