THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 23, 1927. Uncle Sam Says: Few of Us Know New Facts About Immigration What Is an Alien? Why a Quota?- and the Latest Truths About Our "Melting Pot" THIS is another in the facinating, fact- ful series of articles by Hardie Meakin, special correspondent at Wash­ington, on the little known details of how Uncle Sam runs his government. Next week's article will concern a subject of even more vital interest to every Ameri­can than immigration. By HARDIE MEAKIN. O UR immigration restrictions are probably the most discussed and least understood of all our laws. Tony, who shines your shoes; Chin Lee, who promises to return your shirts by a certain day; George, who serves "zoop" in the Greek restaurant; the millionaire philanthropist who came here as an im­migrant; your best friend-all of these will discuss the immigration restrictions volubly with you, but few can explain them. Yet these laws, which have so direct an influence upon your daily life, are not very complicated. The simple fundamental of the immi­gration restrictions is, "Admit foreigners into this country only at the rate at which the melting pot can absorb them properly," JVi'th this in mind, a plan was adopted ' n "21, in 1932 and changed ain 1924. While admittedly not per­fect, its supporters say it is the only feas­ible solution of the immigration problem that has been offered. Its critics say it is discriminatory. The original plan was suggested in 1921 by W. W. Husband, now Second Assistant Secretary of Labor, and was designed chiefly to alleviate labor conditions. At that time the business depression which followed the world war was at its worst. The Husband proposal was to limit the number of foreigners admitted annually to three per cent of the foreign born pop­ulation living in the United States in 1910. In other words, if the census of 1910 showed there were 100,000 foreign- born of a certain nationality living in the United States, then three per cent or 3000 of this nationality were to be ad­mitted every fiscal year. After the 3000 had been admitted, then no more were to be allowed to enter until the 'beginning of the next fiscal year. Congress passed the proposal and it was later approved by the President. That was the original plan. But it was found that even under these restrictions foreigners were flocking to the United States faster than they could be absorbed. So, in 1924, the quota was changed to two per cent based on the 1890 census. This, briefly, is the substance of our im­migration laws today. Germany is given the largest quota, 51,227, because there were the largest number of foreign-born Germans living in the United States in 1890. During the first two months of the present fiscal year, July and August, more than one-fifth of this German quota had been granted visas. At this rate the quota will be exhausted before the fiscal year ends and the surplus must wait until the begin­ning of the next year. Great Britain and Northern Ireland combined are allowed 34,007 and a bal­ance of 28,119 remained after the first two months. The quotas of other coun­tries ate: Irish Free State, 28,567; Sweden, 9261; Belgium, 512; Czecho­slovakia, 3073; Denmark, 2789; France, 3954; Italy, 3845; Netherlands, 1648; Poland, 5982; Portugal, 503; Rumania, 603; Russia, European and Asiatic, 2248; Switzerland, 2081 and Yugoslavia, 671. The minimum for any country is 100 and there are forty limited to this. The law defines an immigrant as "any alien departing from any place outside the United States destined for the United States, except (1) a government official, his family, his attendants, servants and employes, (2) an alien visiting the United States temporarily as a tourist or tem­porarily for business or pleasure, (3) an alien in continuous transit through the United States, (4) an alien lawfully admitted to the United States who later goes in transit from one- part of the United States to another through foreign contiguous territory, (5) a bona fide alien seaman serving as such on a vessel arriv­ing at a port of the United States and seeking to enter temporarily the United States solely in pursuit of his calling as a seaman, and (6) an alien entitled to enter the United States solely to carry on trade under and in pursuance of a present exist­ing treaty of commerce and navigation." A non-immigrant is an unmarried child 'under 18 years of age, or a wife of a citizen of the United States who resides therein when application for entry is made; one lawfully admitted to the United States and who is returning from a tem­porary visit to a foreign country; citizens of Canada, Newfoundland, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Canal Zone, or an independent country of Central or South America, with the usual provisions as to wives and unmarried children. Others under this classification are minis­ters and professors who have been ac­tively engaged in these pursuits over a certain period of time, and students enter­ing this country to pursue their studies. Preference under the quota is usually granted to the unmarried child, husband, wife, father or mother of a citizen of the United States who is over 21 years of age. This is to enable the man who has become a good citizen to "send back to the old country for his people." It is also extended to skilled agriculturists. That the optimistic friend is right when he says, "This is the best country in the world," cannot be doubted by anyone who has seen the heartbreaking experience of immigrants turned away as undesirable or because the quota for their nationality is exhausted. They have spent all their savings to enter what they consider the land of opportunity only to be turned back with the goal of happiness in sight. An effort is being made to lessen this " suffering. Eighty per cent of all immi­gration is now controlled by inspectors at the point of origin. The work of these inspectors is to see that the immigrant is not permitted to leave his native country unless he is going to be allowed to enter the United States. Italy, for instance, will not issue a passport after its annual quota of 3845 is exhausted. Other countries issue pass­ports, but create what is called a waiting liSt, much like the one you see at a barber shop. The possessor of the passport is all ready to come to the United States, but is not permitted to sail until "Next!" is shouted. He may have to wait two or three years. When he finally does arrive he is ex­amined by inspectors and is admitted if his credentials are satisfactory. If things are not considered satisfactory, he has the right to appeal to the Secretary of Labor at Washington, where his case is consid­ered by a board. Secretary of Labor James J. Davis, in a recent report, mad a survey of the immigration question over a period of 100 years. He finds that the number of im­migrants coming to the United States did not reach 100,000 per year until 1842, when 104,565 were admitted. Of this number, 99,666 were from northern and western Europe. More than 70 per cent, were from the United Kingdom. In 1861 immigration subsided and only 90,000 were admitted. Germany showed an increase in that year, sending 31,661. In 1873 the wave had gone up to 459,803, coming mostly from northern and western Europe. The year 1882 marked a new high' level with 788,992, and showed an increase in immigration from southern and eastern Europe. From 1894 to 1901 it again dropped back to under 500,000 annually, but in 1902 was above this mark again, and 1907 showed more than one million. The world war broke this high trend in 1914, sending the figures to lower levels again, but they had climbed back to above 800,000 in 1921 when the restrictions became effective. At the end of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1927, the number of immigrants admitted to the country totaled 538,001. This is approximately 300,000 under the 1921 figure. Although, according to the report of Secretary Davis, it is disclosed that in the twenty-five years from 1899 to 1923, ex­actly 16,929,187 immigrants came to the United States. They were distributed as follows: Northern and western European races, including Canadians, 4,861,- 419, or 28.7 per cent. Eastern and southern European races, including Hebrews, 11,081,- 057, or 65.5 per cent Southern American races, 500, 413, or 2.9 per cent. Oriental races, 323,592, or 1.9 per cent, or "other peoples," 162, 706, or 1.0 per cent. Classification of an alien as Im­migrant or emigrant depends upon his declared intent when he enters or leaves the country. Immigrants do not always stay. From 1908 to 1923, 9,949,740 immigrant aliens came and 3,498,185 left, making 35 per cent as many leaving as came in that sixteen-year period, which is a fair one to judge, as it covered pre­war, war and post-war times. XXie Hebrew, auuvc ail ia 1CO, wumco w stay; only five per cent as many left as came. The Chinese occupy the other ex­treme; 10,919 more left than came in dur­ing the period covered. Indicating that many years of toil had seen sufficient saved for a life of ease at home. Sixty per cent of the Italians went back, while, on the whole, those from the north­ern and western European races came to stay to a far greater extent than do the southern and eastern European races. During the period 1899 to 1923 it is shown that all that came were not ad­mitted-there being some seven to ten million sent back for various reasons. There are many attempts to evade the restrictions. Recently Commissioner of Immigration Henry Hull was quoted as saying there are more than a million aliens in this country illegally. It would require a standing army to keep them all out, and if they can get in and stay five years the statute of limitations permits them to remain. With its extensive seacoast and Mexi­can and Canadian borders, there is said to be a large traffic in smuggling aliens into the United States. Many of these aliens pay thousands of dollars simply to gain admittance to the country looked upon by all the world as the land of free­dom and opportunity. The Commissioner of Immigration's files on smuggling aliens into the United States read as did the old ten-cent novels. An instance, pieked at random, is that of a prominent physician of Winnipeg, Canada. Suspected for years of being a smuggler of aliens he was finally traced and challenged on the American side of the border. The woman with him claimed she was his wife. This was checked up by detectives and the woman finally broke down and confessed she had paid the doctor $3,000 to smuggle, her into the United States. The doctor was held in $10,500 bail, which he was unable to raise on the American side of the border. The follow­ing day he was nominated for the Canadian Parliament while in jail. Later he was permitted to go free and then was quoted as having confided to a friend that he was guilty. A notable instance of alien smuggling recently came to light on the Pacific Coast. Investigators charged a ship's captain with contracting to get Chinamen into the United States at $500 per head. The Chinamen, according to the charges, were placed in sacks in the hold of the vessel. If there was no trouble from the Government officers during the voyage the Chinamen were landed and told to scatter. But if a Federal cutter approached the Chinamen, tied in their sacks, were butchered and thrown into the ocean. This case was also dropped for lack of evidence. Worship Made Comfortable in Florida's "Rocking-Chair Church" T HE churches of the Puritans had services lasting twelve hours. A man with a feather fastened to the end of a stick went about tickling noses to see that the people kept awake. It's a far cry from this to the ceremonies at a new church in Florida. The Memorial Christian Church, at Haines City, has rocking chairs instead of stiff-backed pews, and the devout ones listen to a thirty-minute sermon instead of a twelve-hour or,;. One of its founders, W. T. Brooks, believes the climate makes such comfort necessary. Everything is arranged to attract the public. Even the collection plate has been abandoned and the preacher works for nothing. Does it pay? It doesn't financially. But each Sunday there are hundreds of people attending church where none attended before. And those back of it say this makes the idea worth while. WHERE OUR IMMIGRANTS GO. Map of the United States, Shaded Portions Showing the Destination of the Majority of Immigrants. Official Immigration Files Give the Goal of Most Immigrants as Follows: Austrians, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; Canadians, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York; Czechoslovakians, Pennsyl­vania, Illinois and Ohio; Danes, California, Iowa and Illinois; English, New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts; Finns, Michigan, Minne­sota and Massachusetts; French, New York, California and Pennsyl­vania; Germans, New York, Illinois and Wisconsin; Greeks, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois; Irish, New York, Massachusetts and Penn­sylvania; Italians, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and on down the line to the Swedes, who head for Minnesota, Illinois and New York, and the Swiss, to New York, Ohio and California. God's great love to man. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the per­secutors. 14 Behold, he travaileth "with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch, which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head One Test Used on Immigrants Before They Can Pass Ellis Island. Can YOU Read And Pronounce Correctly This Verse From the Bible? Northern and Southern European Races Including Canadians 4,861,419 28.7 per cent southern american races 500,413 2.9 per cent Oriental Races 323.592 or 1.9 per cent other peoples 162,706 or 1 per cent Eastern and Southern European Races (Including Hebrews) 11,081,057 65.5 per cent (Above) Diagram Showing Whence Immigrants Came in the 25 Years from 1899-1923. Note the Big Lead of Southern Europe and the Small Number of Orientals. "AMERICA-HERE WE COME!" Eight Hundred Thousand Immigrants a Year Were Being Admitted to America, When in 1921, the So-Called Quota Plan Was Adopted. Here Are Various Types Snapped at Ellis Island, with the Goal of Their Dreams, "Liberty," in the Background. The "Rocking- Chair Church" Is a Memorial to the Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Brooks, Who Died at Age of Three. INTERIOR OF CHURCH. Note the Comfortable Rocking Chairs Provided for the Congregation, "at ease," While the Minister Delivers His Sermon EXTERIOR. The Congregation Strolls Quietly to This Church Instead of Seeking the Golf Links. It Enters and, Seated in Rocking Chairs, Heats a Brief Sermon. Puritans Would Be Shocked, But the Pastor Says Climate Makes Comfort Necessary. Copyright, 1927, International feature Service, Inc., Great Britain Rights Reserved.