On a 10 per cent basis, if this law should pass and the immigration commission should decide that the 10 per cent basis would be the proper figure, the permissible immigration from the countries of northwest Europe would be a million and a half, whereas the actual immigration for these three years, for each year, was less than 200,000. There would therefore be no restriction on a 10 per cent basis. If it were cut to 1 per cent the permissible immigration would be 155,000. On a 1 per cent basis the immigration would have been cut down slightly.

For the countries of southwest Europe the situation is somewhat different. Here are the three principal countries [indicating on chart] and adding in the other countries of south, central, and eastern Europe, we have an actual immigration of 906,000 for the year 1914. On the 10 per cent basis of permissible immigration the number would be 382,000, so that in this case, on a 10 per cent basis there would be a reduction of somewhat more than half.

Let me explain this matter a little further. Our first thought was that this restriction principle should not apply to women; but further study convinced us that it was desirable that women should come under the restriction principle no less than others. Yet it is desirable that women who are coming to join their husbands, even though they might arrive after the percentage figure had been completed, it would be desirable to admit them, and therefore, we have a provision under paragraph (b) of section 3, at the top of page 8, in regard to women. That paragraph provides:

That women coming to join their husbands, who arrive after the permissible number of immigrants from their race or people has been admitted, shall be admitted, but the number of such admissions shall be the first charge against the permissible immigration of the following year.

That makes it possible for them to come and join their husbands without hardships, and yet not thereby increasing the total of immigration.

Then, of course, we would have to provide for the various kinds of excepted classes. You will find a statement of the excepted classes in paragraph (c), beginning near the top of page 8, which paragraph provides as follows:

(c) That in addition to those aliens admitted on the percentage basis the following classes of aliens shall also be admitted outside of the percentage figure, provided they are otherwise qualified for admission.

Accredited officials of foreign Governments, members of their families, their servants and employees, travelers for health, pleasure or curiosity, transient business or professional men to remain in the United States less than one year, students provided with their own funds or guaranteed support by their own governments or by institutions or friends in the United States, ministers or religious teachers, missionaries, teachers, authors, professional artists, their legal wives or their children under 16 years of age, who accompany them, singers or actors, and aliens employed strictly as personal or domestic servants accompanying their employers.

Children under 14 years of age accompanying or coming to join a parent or grandparent.

Aliens in continuous transit through the United States, aliens who have been lawfully admitted to the United States and who later shall go in transit from one part of the United States to another through foreign contiguous territory.

Aliens who have taken out their first papers and have passed certain tests prescribed by and carried out under the supervision of the immigration commission.

Citizens of Canada.

All aliens who shall prove to the satisfaction of the proper immigration officers or to the Commissioner General of Immigration that they are seeking admission to the United States to avoid religious persecution in the country of their last permanent residence.

You will notice there is a provision there for children under 14 years of age accompanying or coming to join a parent or grandparent. It seemed very important that children should come in. Being children not old enough to enter industry, it is highly important that they should be with their parents.

I should like next to take up a little more carefully the functions of the proposed immigration commission. You will find these functions set out on page 9, beginning at the middle of the page, section 5:

(a) That the immigration commission shall each year determine the percentage rate as provided for in section 3 (a) above for the following fiscal year. In determining the rate it shall have regard to the labor conditions in the United States and to the maintenance of the American standards of living and wages; and shall make such regulations as shall prevent congestion of immigration at any period of the year, promote the convenience of transportation companies, and avoid hardships to the immigrants.

(b) That skilled labor, if otherwise admissible, may be imported if labor of like kind unemployed cannot be found in this country. The question of the necessity of importing such skilled labor in any particular instance shall be determined by the immigration commission upon the application of any person interested, such application to be made before such importation, and such determination by the immigration commission to be reached after a full hearing and an investigation in the facts of the case.

(c) That the immigration commission, immediately upon its organization, shall institute a comprehensive inquiry into policies and methods of the distribution of immigration; that the immigration commission shall publish the results of the investigation in full, not later than two years from the beginning of the inquiry; that the immigration commission be empowered to carry on all further educational work necessary to bring the approved results of the investigation effectively before the public. (d) That the immigration commission shall also perform the duties assigned in sec-tion 3 (a) and (d).

(e) That the immigration commission shall be the final judge as to fact and as to the interpretation of the law, in all cases of doubt about individual immigrants, arising under the terms of section 2 and section 3 (a), (b), (c), and (d), and section 6 (a).

You will notice that the first of those paragraphs puts upon them the function of determining the percentage rate. Then the next paragraph which follows, paragraph (b) is very much like the provision we have now as to the admission of skilled labor, if not otherwise to be found in this country.

Paragraph (c) is an important item [reading]:

That the immigration commission, immediately upon its organization, shall institute a comprehensive inquiry into policies and methods of the distribution of immigration; that the immigration commission shall publish the results of the investigation in full, not later than two years from the beginning of the inquiry; that the immigration commission be empowered to carry on all further educational work necessary to bring the approved results of the investigation effectively before the public.

One of the things which seemed to us very important in setting right our whole immigration system was to provide for distribution, and we tried to think out detailed methods which could be incorporated in the law for securing a far better distribution of the new arrivals than we are now having. But as we studied the matter we found many difficulties in the way, and we concluded that without the assistance of the administration itself it would be impossible to work out any such plan, and that probably the wise way would be to put this responsibility upon the administration in some form, and it seemed to us that this immigration commission with its opportunity for continuous observation and study would be probably the best organ for carrying out that investigation.

Then it also seemed to us that for the full carrying out of these plans and for putting our immigration on a wholesome basis it was desirable to raise the standards for naturalization. At present, as so

many are discovering, the standards are rather low, and they are in some cases administered with a good deal of laxity, so that for years past we have been receiving a very considerable number of citizens who have not been in any proper sense qualified, and therefore it seemed desirable to introduce an amendment along those lines. I am referring now to section 6 on page 10. The act of June 29, 1906, consists of quite a number of paragraphs defining the procedure and something as to the qualifications which must be had by an applicant before he can become a citizen. To the requirements there given, we would add these requirements, as they are set out in the Tatter part of section 6 on page 10. We would add the following words after the words "happiness of the same," "and also that he has passed certain tests prescribed by and carried out under the supervision of the Immigration Commission in (1) reading and speaking the English language, (2) in the principles of personal and public hygiene, (3) in the history of the American people, (4) in the methods and ideals of the Government of the United States, and (5) in the right and duties of citizens." The reading provided for there is a new feature.

These are four items along which it seems to us the standards of naturalization should be raised, and yet, instead of attempting to define all these matters in detail, which would of course be rather cumbersome in a bill, it seemed to us that this could best be done by the Immigration Commission, and that the general supervision of the raising of the standards of naturalization should also be put into the hands of the Immigration Commission, who would enact the rules and regulations in detail. That is what we are proposing in regard to naturalization.

Then the next three clauses, (b), (c), and (d), concern the removal of certain minute in the procedure of naturalization which will simplify the matter and will not in any way reduce the efficiency, and will take away some of the irritation now felt by those seeking naturalization. These three sections provide:

That the act of June 29, 1906, section 4, paragraph 4, be amended by inserting the following words after the words "The name, place of residence, and occupation of each witness shall be set forth in the record." "The witnesses of the petitioner shall not be required to appear in court unless the judge or the naturalization examiner deem it necessary."

(c) That the act of June 29, 1906, section 10, shall be amended by inserting the following words after the words "he may establish by two witness:" "Or by the depositions of two witnesses."

(d) That the act of June 29, 1906, section 4, last paragraph, be amended by striking out the words, "At the time of filing the petition" and substituting the words "Before the date set for the hearing of the petitioner."

Many times I have had men come to me who have said they have tried to become citizens at different times and that it was impossible. I do not think it is necessary now to go into the details of those elements.

Now, there follows a very important proposition, that contained in paragraph (e) at the bottom of page 10. Here is proposed one of the most important propositions we have, namely, the changing of the fundamental law dealing with naturalization itself, as to who are eligible for citizenship. As the law reads at present, this paragraph provides that "The provisions of this title apply to aliens being free

white persons; and to aliens of African nativity, and to per African descent." What we propose is the following:

That the act of February, 1875, amending the act of July 14, 1870, be a substituting for the words, "The provisions of this title apply to aliens i white persons; and to aliens of African nativity and to persons of African the following words: "The privilege of citizenship by naturalization is ope alien who fulfills all the intellectual and moral requirements of the law sp paragraph (a) above, and also the requirements, technical and moral, spec act of June 26, 1906, and its later amendments.'

In other words, what we propose is the raising of the standar then saying that anybody who will fulfill this standard is o for citizenship. I shall say very frankly and directly th purpose I had in making such a suggestion is to remove the ir felt by the Chinese and Japanese at present because of specia and interpretations applied against them.

Of course it follows from this general proposition that a special laws dealing with the Chinese would be rescinded, and † made clear in section 7, which says:

That all acts and parts of acts relating to the exclusion of Chinese from and of treatment of Chinese in the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Rico, shall be and the same are hereby repealed; namely, the act of July September 13, 1888, May 5, 1892, November 3, 1893, July 7, 1898, April 30, June 6, 1900, March 3, 1901, April 29, 1902, February 20, 1907, August 24, 1912, Ju 1913, and all amendments to the same.

Then there is a law in the last act, the act of 1917, which spec a certain geographical zone in the Pacific Ocean and including India and going up to Siberia, from which no native is allowed come. It seemed to us that having set up the general princi of dealing on a basis of absolute equality for everyone, the geograp cal zone prohibition should be removed, because it is fundamenta opposed to the principle we are advocating, namely, the equality race treatment.

Also, there is a clause in the act of February 5, 1917, which is a ver curious clause. I will read it to you. It is in the second part section 8 of the present law and reads in this way:

No alien now in any way excluded from or prevented from entering the United States shall be admitted to the United States.

We propose that that shall be repealed. Then the final provision of our proposal is the separation of the citizenship of a wife from that of her husband. Section 9 of our proposed bill reads:

That the act of March 2, 1907, be amended by striking out sections 3 and 4 and by substituting therefor the words: "The citizenship of a wife is hereby declared to be independent of that of her husband, male and female aliens being required to qualify for naturalization independently. If a female citizen of the United States shall marry an alien, she shall not forfeit her United States citizenship. If a female alien shall marry a citizen of the United States, she shall not thereby acquire the status of a citizen of the United States, but shall be required to qualify for naturalization in accordance with the provisions of the law."

We are coming now to universal suffrage, and as the laws now stand a woman who is the wife of a foreigner who becomes naturalized become automatically naturalized and she also becomes a citizen of the United States regardless of her personal qualifications. In view of the fact that there are probably several million women in this country who will in the course of the next few years become