New York “times” Opposes Proposed Elasticity of Quota Law

Commenting upon the suggestions made by Secretary of Labor Davis for the admittance of immigrants regardless of the quota in case of a labor shortage, the New York “Times” says editorially.

“This, plainly stated, means a return to the old system of determining the immigration policy by the needs of industry rather than of national unity. It implies that the Government would go into the wholesale employment agency business, and that industries could apply to it for laborers when needed. This, in turn, would raise the difficulty of priority of application, and would certainly lead to wholesale padding of demands, which would soon result in what amounts to unrestricted immigration on a large scale. Inasmuch as the whole purpose of immigration restriction is to give the nation time to assimilate the foreign elements now unabsorbed, any provision which would make possible large increases in the numbers of immigrants would defeat the true purpose of the present law.”