THE MIGRATION PROBLEM

Grey River Argus, 29 November 1927, Page 7

THE MIGRATION PROBLEM

Of America.

THE I.F.T.U. REPORT. The United States and the migration problem, is the subject of the following report issued by the International Federation of Trade Unions:-— (1.F.T.U.) The report on activities submitted to the A.F. of L. convention contains an account of the steps taken in the domain of migration during the past year by Parliament, and also of the new administrative measures. As very few eontprehensive accounts appear on the subject, we give below the chief passages in the Report dealing with the subject, which further illustrate the attitude of the A.F. of L., to the question.

“More than 100 bills, most of them having for their purpose the breaking down of the immigration law, were introduced in both Houses of Con gress. Those who seek to increase the number of aliens coming into this country under the nonquota class openly admit that they are opposed to any restriction at all of immigration. It is therefore natural to presume that they believe by appealing to the sentiment of the people of the United States for impractical legislation ii. the interest of the wives and children of aliens that it will be a step ping stone to changing the whole policy of the United States regarding ini migration.

A bill providing for the admission of 35,000 wives or unmarried children under eighteen years of age of aliens legally admitted to tire United States prior to July Ist., 1924, for permanent residence and who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, was adopted in the Senate. When the amendment reached the Immigration Committee of the House it was stricken out and a new clause inserted which provided that preference up to sixty per cent, should be given in the quotas to the wives and unmarried children under twentyone years of ago of aliens lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. It also provided t’.iat the President might declare ineffective by prdclamntion the section of the immigration law giving preference in any year to skilled agriculturists ami their wives and children, thus permitting 90 per cent of the quota for any nationality to be used by the wives and unmarried children under twenty-one years of age of such aliens. The amended bill pas-

sed the House, March, 26, 1926 and was considered by the Senate, March 4. 1927. The Senate refused to accept

the amendments and the bill went tc conference where if, died by the ad-

journment of the Congress the same day.

Another bill, to postpone for one year the enforcement of the national origin provision of the immigration law. became law. Much criticism has developed, toward the national origin proposal ami it is doubtful if it will ever be enforced. It provides that the annual quota of any nationality shall be a number which bears the same ratio to 150,000 as the number of inhabitants in continental United States in 1920 having that national origin bears to the number of inhabitants in the continental United States in 1920.

A third bill was introduced having for its object almost complete restriction of immigration. It provides that after July 1, 1928, until Juno 30, 1933, the immigration quota shall be I reduced 10 per cent., per annum, and that after that period the annual quota of any nationality shall be 1 per cent instead of 2 per cent., as at present of the number of foreign born individuals of such nationality resident in the continental United States as determined by the United States census of 1890. (The census of 1890 was selected as basis, because at that date the great bulk of the immigrants came from the northern and western countries of Europe, instead of, as later, the southern and eastern). The minimum quota of any nationality would be reduced from 100 to 50. During the fiscal years of 1929 and 1930 quota numbers equal to one half of the reduction authorised for such fiscal years would be set aside for the unmarried children under 21 years of age and wives of aliens lawfully admitted to the United States, married prior to July 1, 1924; that after July 1, 1928, the maximum quota for any country shall be 25,000. Johnson, chairni in of the Imm-grabicn Committee, in statements on the floor ot‘ the House and in public addresses has declared that he w-11 press this bill for passage. The Executive Council believes the American Federation cf Labour should approve the bill as it is a long step in advance in restricting ini migration and at the same time would solve the problem of reuniting families. ’ ’

Recent press statements to the effect that the A.F. of L., has pronounced in favour of complete restriction of immigration should probably be taken to mean that the congress confirmed the views of the Executive