New York Papers Express Immigration Views

“No matter what euphemisms may be used to soften its effect, the Immigration bill as it stands in the Senate, means outright discrimination against certain groups of Europeans and in favor of certain others,” was the editorial comment of the New York Telegram of April 19th. It goes on to give very interesting figures as to the effect of the immigration provisions adopted:

“What the Senate bill proposes can be learned from a few easy calculations. With the 1910 census as a basis, the new law would admit for each year 46,225 German, 51,472 Irishmen and Britishers, 33,689 Russians, 25,803 Italians and 3,036 Greeks, to select a few of the principal nationalities. On an 1890 basis the admissions will be 39,335 Germans, 75,264 Irishmen and Britishers, 3,572 Italians, 3,653 Russians and 38 Greeks.

“In other words, of a total of 161,000 of new immigration expected, Great Britain, Ireland and Germany could account for 114,597 and Russia, Italy and Greece for only 7,443. With 1890 as a basis, 16,000 more Irishmen, Britons and Germans could come in than if 1910 were the basis, but the Russians, Italians and Greeks would be 53,084 fewer.”

The New York Herald Tribune, however, does not believe that the immigration laws enacted are drastic enough. In its leading editorial of April 20th, it states that the new immigration measure does not meet the whole problem. It continues:

“An alien registration law such as the Department of Labor proposes is a necessary corollary to the immigration law. An annual enrollment would enable the government to keep track of every foreign inhabitant. Let registration cards be issued to those entitled to them, and let every alien be put to proof by this evidence of his legal right to remain in the United States.”