Speech #630424172

If I yield. I will not have time in which to conclude what I desire to say. The Commissioner General of Immigration. in his report for the fiscal year ending June 30. 1914. says: Immigration. judged from the results of the year. has apparently reached the million mark permanently. and unless some affirmative action is taken by the Federal Government to restrict. It. or steps are taken by European and other nations to reduce the steady stream of persuns leaving the various countries of the Old World. we need hardly expect that the number annually entering the United States will hereafter fall far below 1.000.000. During the last fiscal year 1.218.480 souls have Immigrated to the United States. 20.588 more than were shown for the previous year and only 66.869 less than the total shown for 1907. the banner year in Immigration. Comparison of the record of emigrating aliens wtith that of immigrating aliens shows that 633.805 left the United States. so that the net increase in population by the immigralion was 769.276.. It was 815.303 in 1913 and 401.863 in 1912. Paragraph S of the Immigration Commission report. which I have itentioned. is as follows: The investigations of the commission show an oversupply of unskilled labor in basic industries to an extent which indicates an oversupply of unskilled labor In the Industries of the country as a whole. and therefore demand legislation which will at the present time restrict the further admission of such unskilled labor. It is desirable in making the restriction that- A sufficient number be debarred to produce a marked effect upon the present supply of unskilled labor. As far as possible the aliens excluded should be those who come to this country with no intention to become American citizens or even to maintain a permanent residence here. but merely to save enough. by the adoption. if necessary. of low standards of living. to return permanently to their home country. Such persons are usually men unaccompanited by wives or children. As far as pos:Able the aliens excluded should also be those who. by reason of their personal qualities or habits. would least readily be assiinlated or would make the least desirable citizens. The following methods of restricting immigration have been suggested : The exclusion of those unable to read or write in some language. The limitation of the number of each race arriving each year to a certain percentage of the average of that race arriving during a given perilod of years. The exclusion of unskilled laborers unaccompanied by wives or families. The limitation of the number of immigrants arriving annually at any port. The material increase in the amount of money required to be in the pcssession of the immigrant at the port of arrival. The material increase of tha head tax. The levy of the head tax so as to make a marked discrimination in favor of men with families. All these methods would be effective In one way or another in securing restrictions in a greater or less degree. A majority of the commission favor the reading and writing test as the most feasible single method of restricting undesiable immigration. The commission as a whole recommends restriction as demanded by economic. moral. and social considerations. furnishes in Its report reasons for such restriction. and points out methods by which Congress can attain the desired result if its judgment coincides with that of the commission. All the members of the commission excepting one recomlended the adoption of the reading and writing test. The testimony recently taken before the Committee on Immigration also shows an oversupply of unskilled labor in this country. The foreign unskilled laborers are evidently coming to this country in greater number than new positions are being made or supplied. Hence they are crowding out or interfering with the unskilled laborers among us. Many unskilled labor immigrants find such little opportunity here for work that they return to their native country. We all know that it is impossible for this country to provide for properly and assimilate the millions of unskilled laborers that might come here if they were admitted without restriction. Since we can not admit all we should select for admission those who are most desirable and best fitted for our institutions. Will the literacy test in the pending bill assist us in making the selections? I believe it will. True it is that education alone does not prove good character. and the lack of education nay be evidence of the lack of opportunity. Yet it is also true that the lack of education may be evidence of the lack of diligence. In some cases the lack of education proves a lack of diligence. By adopting the literacy test we would reduce the inmigration of unskilled laborers and would still receive those immigrants best fitted to become citizens. As I have shown by the laws quoted. we have been attemptiug for years to exclude undesirable unskilled laborers. The Chineseexclusion law prohibits the immigration of "Chinese laborers." regardless of whether they are educated or not educated. skilled or unskilled. The "contractlabor law" excludes persons who have been induced "to migrate to this country by offers or promises of employment." without regard to their education or lack of education. except that " skilled labor may be imported if labor of like kind unemployed can not be found in this country." Certain professional persons are also excepted. It is not morally wrong for a foreigner to promiseto work in this country. Ifit were not for the law prohibiting such an agreement. it would. be the part of prudence to have an agreement for a position before coming here. The laws I have mentioned plainly show that we do not want to encourage the immigration of unskilled laborers but do de sire to discourage the immigration of such laborers. The "contractlabor law" is hard to enforce. and it is generally believed that it is being constantly evaded and violated. Probably 99 per cent of the immigrants who are unable to read come to this country to work as unskilled laborers. The enactment and enforcement of a law containing the literacy test would greatly check and restrict the immigration of such laborers. Too iany are coming here under present conditions. There are good reasons for believing that a still greater influx .of unskilled laborers will occur after the close of the European war. I believe existing conditions require a. law to restrict immigration without delay. No man has offered a bill better than the bill now pending. Therefore I shall vote for the passage of this bill.