Mr. Chairman. of all the changes contemplated by the proposed immigration bill none appeals with greater force than does that which abolishes the brutality of existing law whereby this Governuent. after an invitation to the immigrant. turns him back to his own country because the quota for his race is exhausted when he reaches our shores. I can conceive few things more cruel than. having permitted these helpless immigrants to travel over the watery wastes. to compel their returning over the same useless journey to their homelaml. Such unfortunate Instances should not occur as where. during the past year. a steamship arrived at New York with a number of immigrants. on board who were threatened with deportation because the vessel had reached its destination a few ininutes before the time when a new monthly quota would begin. A certificate granted by the American authorities in the foreign land should be a ticket of admission. and the immigrant should not be permitted to sail on a useless journey to this country unless lie is to be admitted. providing. of course. he can pass such tests as are by law provided. However. the main thought of the bill Is its restrictive feature. and the weakness of its restrictive philosophy revolves around that slection which takes the census of 1890 as the basis upon which the various quotas are to be computed. This will cause an extraordinary change In the present immigration law. which is based on the census of 1910 for quota computation. The following table of figures will best explain what this proposed change involves: Present quota. 2 per ent. 3 per cent. 1890 A lban ia --------------------------------------------------Armenia ................................................... A ustria ---------------------------------------------------Belgium ...................................................
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