I think it would clear the mind of the committee a little as to the matter of this small number who. as the gentleman from New York says. have taken advantage of this provision in the existing law. if we show what tile existing law is. Now. the existing law. which is the immigration act of 1917. provides that all aliens over 17 years of age. physically capable of reading. who can not read the English language or some other language or dialect. shall be excluded. Now. then. it goes on to sayThat the following classes shall be exenipt from the operation of the illiteracy test. namely: All aliens who shall prove to the satisfaction of the proper inimigration officer or to the Secretary of Labor that they are seeking admission to the United States to avoid religious persecution in the country of their last permanent residenceFollowed by the language quoted in this committee amendnent. The point of this.
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immigration