Speech #630006444

I realize that the proposition to prohibit the immigration to the United States of ablebodied men and women because they can not read is. from a sympatbetic viewpoint. subject to criticism yet. notwithstanding such a viewpoint the American Federation of labor. which represents organized labor in its entirety and is the only organization which can with any show of reason represent the unorganized workers. has declared by resolution in two conventions that the illiteracy test is the most practical means of restricting the present immigration of cheap labor whose competition is so ruinous to the workers already here. whether native or foreign." and Instructed the officers of the federation to earnestly petition Congress to enact the illiteracy test into law. There has been a great deal said and published In favor of the necessity of inciting immigration for the purpose of securing agricultural workers. There is no question in my mind but that such agitation has for its purpose the enticing of immigrants to our country to be hired by the great manufacturing concerns. coal companies. and railroads for their repair shops at a much less wage than those who are born here. The argument that the opponents of this test make is that common labor. or coarse labor as some call it. would be the class that could not pass the iliteracy test. and this country is very much in need of that particular kind of coarse labor. So that there will be no misunderstanding on yourpart in regard to what the farmers think about using immigrants for farm hands. their representative in his statement to you today has clearly placed the farmers organization on record as opposed to the proposition of bringlng Immigrants into this country to do agricultural work. The fact is that the immigrants who come here have been exploited to such an extent that the American born can not compete with them. The wage earners believe in an effective regulation of immigration. because they desire to retain a high standard of living. The standard of wages for both skilled and unskilled labor of this country is the result of many years effort. When an immigrant accepts work at less than the standard. he not only takes the place of a man orking at a higher rate but he assists in destroying the prevailing iate of wages in that iindustry. and that carries with it a corlespondlig reduction in the physical as well as moral and intellectual well beinb. Mr. resident. it is now an undisputed fact that i many industries the immigrants who come here are working for such low wagest the American horn cat not compete with them. They can not live on the wages paid. and support a family. In support of tmne position that the American horn can not cumpete with foreigners and live on the wages patd to them and support a fainly I refer you to tei investigation of the Bethlehem Steel works made by a committee of the Pederal Council of the Churches of Christ. and the investigation made by Commissioner Neill. of the Bureau of Labor..as to wages and conditions in the steel Industry.