Restrict Immigration to Keep Undesirables Out of U.S., Says Editor, Oct. 31, 1923

Editorial. . . Why Immigration Restriction?

Every American who has visited Europe since the War, whether on consular work, as special investigator, or in furtherance of political ambition, has reached the conclusion that if we let down the bars placed a few years ago against the influx of undesirables, the menace to America’s future will become very real. An analysis of our present population not counting our island possessions, the negroes, or those confined in prisons, asylums, poor houses, homes or charitable institutions shows that the foreign born and their children are in equal number with the native American population. In addition to this we have some 1,200 newspapers and periodicals, printed in 42 different languages with a combined circulation per issue of more than one million copies. Aside from our public school system we are doing practically nothing (to) Americanize this great mass of foreigners, and in many instances have let that institution pass into the control of the foreign element. A good illustration of this is found in the plea of a naturalized Jew, before a recent congressional hearing, that the Yiddish language should be placed on equal footing with English as the official language of the United States.

The condition under which the unskilled laborer exists in Europe makes him easy prey for the immigration propagandist, who is, chiefly the agent for the steamship companies. There is at least one each in every town and large village in Europe, and in addition to his commission he receives a bonus on every so many ticket purchasers. The president of one of the North Atlantic Steamship Companies made the statement recently that for 25 years he had filled every village in Europe with literature about American urging continentals to emigrate and some years as high as $50 million had been received from third class passengers alone.

Millions of prospective immigrants are anxiously and impatiently awaiting June 30, 1924, when the 3 per cent law expires, unless renewed by the forthcoming Congress. They want to forget all about worthless rubles, kopecks, kronen and marks, and learn about the real dollars which the steamship agents have told them are gathered so easily over here. And the pity of it is that there are “captains of industry” so short sighted that they encourage this class of immigration.

The question is whether the America of tomorrow shall be the America its forefathers conceived, devised and cherished, or a dumping ground for the worst of foreign element, the class of which every other land wants to rid itself, the adventurer, the lawbreaker and the anarchist. That question is to be decided by Congress this coming winter, and the American people must not be found asleep at the switch.

From the front page of the Tri-City Daily Gazette, Leaksville, N.C., Oct. 31, 1923, Murdoch E. Murray, Editor.