Speech #640066230

The struggle to place this law upon the statute books of this country has been going on for nearly 20 years. Tile question has been most thoroughly investigated. it has had the fullest publicity. Members of Congress who have advocated it anti voted for the proposition have been continually returned to Congress. and the majority favoring the literacy test appears to. have increased from session to session. In addition to this unusual record before the Congress and this unequivocal indorsement in the two great party platforms. the literacy test has been indorsed by the American Federation of Labor. with its allied organizations. comprising about 2.000.000 members. the National Grange. composed of about 1.000.000 members. the National Farmers Congress. embracing about 3.000.000 farmers. and the National Farmers Union. with a membership of about 3.000.000. making a total of 9.000.000 members of these various organizations. representing the wageearning and atgricultural classes and interests of the country. The wage earners of this country plead for the enactment of this bill into a law. iot through any feeling or spirit of antagonism toward the laborers or peoples of other countries. but for the protection of those of their own country. already here. Mr. Frank Morrison. secretary of the American Federation of Labor. in his statement before the Immigration Committee. gives the position of organized labor upon this question. as follows: The wage earners believe in an effective regulation of immigration because they desire to retain the American standard of living. The standard of wages for both skilled and unskilled labor in this country is the result of iany years of effort by organized labor. When an iinmigrant accepts work at less than the standard wage lie not only takes the place of the nman working at the higher rate but lie assists in forcing downward the )revailing rate of wages in that industry. which result carries with it a corresponding reduction in the physical. moral. and intellectual standard of American life.