We provide a penalty of$25 for bringing in aliens who are so afflicted as to affect their ability to earn a living. Those are excludable aliens. but sometimes the defects are such that we thought possibly there ought not to be so heavy a penalty for bringing that class. and hence the penalty has been placed at $25. A penalty of $100 is imposed for bringing in those who are unable to read and who can not become citizens by naturalization. That penalty was not made so large as the penalty for bringing in insane and diseased people. Section 11. page 19. provides for inspection by inspectors. matrons. and surgeons of ships carrying immigrants. The whole committee was unanimous that that was a wise provision. although it has aroused the ire of some of the nationalities on the other side. We have received protests from several Governments through the regular channels against this provision. We guard it very carefully. We do not allow conditions to arise under the law so that there would be a confusion of authority. The inspectors and surgeons and matrons must be permitted to go through and examine the condition of immigrants on the ships. but they have no authority to go as far as to order changes. If they had the power of making and enforcing orders on the ships. we thought there would be confusion of authority between our inspectors and surgeons and those employed by the steamship companies or put on the ships by other countries. Hence we believe that while there is objection by some countries to this provision. it is wise to leave it in the discretion of the Secretary of Labor. and that the discretion will not be abused.
Keywords matched
immigrants naturalization