News Brief

A bill legalizing the admittance and permanent stay of aliens who entered the United States illegally before July 1, 1924, provided they have continued to reside in America since the date of such entry, was introduced by Senator Wheeler of Montana.

Congressman Kelly of Pennsylvania introduced a bill requiring aliens, before filing petitions for naturalization, to have an intelligent reading and speaking knowledge of the English language and a reasonable understanding of American history, institutions and ideals before being granted citizenship. Such knowledge and understanding would have to be certified by diplomas issued by public school authorities in accordance with standards and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Labor with the cooperation of the Secretary of the Interior. In view of such diploma, a written examination, based upon these standards and regulations, conducted by the naturalization examiner would have to be passed.

Representative MacGregor of New York, a member of the House Immigration Committee, introduced a bill to constitute one-half of the present immigration quotas as a “families quota” to be available for the unmarried children under twenty-one, the parents and husbands of citizens of the United States, the unmarried children under twenty-one, husbands and wives of declarants admitted to America prior to July 1, 1924 and subsequent to June 2, 1921 and of residents in America prior to June 3, 1921 lawfully admitted or if such admittance is satisfactorily proved even if it does not appear upon the immigration records.

Congressman Dickstein served notice upon the House Immigration Committee that he intends to insist upon definite action regarding relief for separated families and that he is not satisfied with either the Reed bill recently passed by the Senate giving certain limited preferences or the bill of Senator Watson of Indiana, recently introduced. He informed the Committee he will ask much more substantial relief.