Chairman. that the Members of Congress here present this afternoon can hesitate in agreeing to this amendment. It is manifestly unfair to conduct a starchamber examination of a man seeking admission to our shores. It is unfair under the old law and infinitely more unfair under the literacy test of the new law. If immigrants are to be excluded because they can not read. and they are examined in secret. it places an autocratic power in the hands of the immigrant official who passes upon the applicant to reject every unfortunate exile who may happen to be of limited education. and such an examination by a hostile examiner behind closed doors will. of course. result in judgment against the applicant. final judgment beyond the right or power of appeal in most cases. because the immigrant will not know how to appeal. He does not know to whom he can appeal. He is not familiar with the law.
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immigrants immigrant literacy test