SABATH i presents to this House the real question upon which the division of Members for and against this bill will take pl.ce. It is clear to the unprejudiced person that there are two lines of argument to be applied to the question before us. When we consider that on three different occasions Presidents of these United States have vetoed such literacy tests. we on this side must admit that there is something of merit in the contentionof the others. but I suggest to them that when they consider that on three different occasions the Congress of the United States has sent the test to the President. that they must admit that there is something of merit on our side. I have not the time in five minutes to refer to these arguments. but perhaps they can be summed up briefly in a single sentencethat while the spirit of altruism is most commendable. that that of selfpreservation is still the first law of nature. My friend from Illinois suggested a little while ago that the literacy test will not serve to keep out the viciously inclined. the criminal. or the otherwise undesirables. Of course. it will not. nnd nobody contends that it will. and as between education and character we will agree with him that character is by far the most potent. but given the character to work upon. education will do its possessor good and not harm. Qtherwise you had better abolish your compulsoryeducation laws. And again I want to call your attention to this thought. that in legislating on this bill our first consideration is not the immnigrant. for. however much we may desire to give him th opportunities afforded in this superior land. our first consideration is and must ever be this country of ours which should alwvays be our chief concern. Let me direct your attention to the fact that conditions are vastly different today to those of former years and that we must meet them with different laws. In the pioneer days sturdy individualism and strong physical power was necessary in order to enable the immigrant to meet and overcome the difficulties encountered. The very conditions that confronted him were in themselves a selection of the most fit. We have passed beyond those conditions and the time has arrived when we as a country must look after our own interests. and in my judgment our interests require that while we are imposing an educational qualification upon our own people that we should ask those who come from wvithout at least to meet the limited requirements of this bill.
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immigrant literacy test literacy tests