National origins provision of immigration law

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1796380105

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-196168

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: National origins provision of immigration law

Place of publication:: Washington

Publisher:: Gov. Pr. Off.

Year of publication:: 1929

Scope:: III, 171 S

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Statement of Edward R. lewis, chairman executive committee, Immigration Restriction Legislation, Chicago, Ill.

Collection:: Economics Books

36 NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW Mr. Lewis. What is the test of character? I do not know. Sup- pose we took up the quota list and said, “ We will let in 150,000, but we are going to let them in, the very best people from any country, wherever they come from; and we are going to select the best 150,000 as near as we can come to the quota applications,” there would prob- ably be two or three million people applying, and they are going to apply in every consulate of Europe. The CmammaN. You recognize, too, that there might be some dif- ferences among us as to who are the best people, do you not? Mr. Lewss. I think, sir, that there is no test, at least not that I can think of, that would decide who are the best people. The CmamrmaN. We have difficulties, in our own country, even. with national-origins stock. Mr. Lewrs. I do not know. Physical tests we have now, and men- tal tests. Well, I took three or four of those psychological examina- tions in the Army, as did others in my knowledge, and most of the fellows who passed it well were for it, and, on other other hand, those who did not pass called it the “ bunk ”; and that is as far as I think they would get with the psychological test. Senator Corrraxp. How did you think about it? Mr. Lewis. How did I think about? Senator CorELaND. You got into the Army? Mr. Lewis. You do not have to pass the psychological test in order to get into it; you had to take one after you got in. Senator Coprranp. To see whether you could stay in? } Mr. Lewis. To see whether you would be a corporal, sergeant, or officer. But, anyway, they are not working out; they are not recognized. And, then, you would find tremendous opposition to that. As for tests of character, people all differ on that now. You have our own as well as foreign countries, and they are trying to decide on worth, on mentality; and their judgments are going to be different as the men are going to be. There is no objective stand- ard; you can not tie it down. One man will be easy and let them in; another man will be hard-boiled and keep them out. There would not be anything that you could unify that system on. As you let them all come in this country to make it unified they would all pile into Ellis Island, and you would have confusion worse con- founded. Just as Commissioner Curran said in 1923, it would be impossible when they come at the rate of one a minute. We can not do it, and we all know when the examination is performed here it can not be done properly when the tremendous pressure is on in a quota; and if it is done abroad you have got to have a quota system applied to a country, because if you do not you can not possibly synchronize men. They have arbitrary judgments. Senator COPELAND. 9 far as quality 1s concerned, it would make no difference what system was used. You would still be up against the same problem, would you not? Mr. Lewis. I think, sir, as it works now, you have a quota from each country. A man will go to the consul in England or the consul in Germany or Norway, and he applies, puts his name in the quota. He may come up. He may not. Get a visa for two years and in some countries three years. There is a regular procedure which moves slowly, and there is plenty of time examining him. You

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