The Government has. however. issued a report taken from the 1920 census of illiterate persons 10 years of age and over. By illiteracy Is meant one who can neither read nor write. Table No. 44. page 67. of the Statistical Abstract of the United States. 3922. shows the following: Native white ----------------------------------------- 1. 242. 572 Foreignborn white --------------------------------- 1.763. 740 Total white -------------------------------------- 3. 006. 312 Foreign born. 56.6 per cent. and tile foreignborn white were only 14.4 per cent of the total white population in this country at tliat time. The investigations made by the Intelligence Division of the War Department of foreign born during the enlistments for the World War shows a much greater mental deficiency of foreign born than can be imagined from the figures above given. If this character of people be permitted to flood our country. you can readily see the lowering of our standards and a menace to our institutions and Government. Some seem to think that because this great Government has been charitable to them that they have an inalienable right to bring in as many more of their race as they may desire.
Identified stereotypes
Foreign-born people are portrayed as mentally deficient and a threat to American standards and institutions.