National Origins

A surgeon, about to make a transfusion, scientifically matches a donor's blood to his patient's to such purpose that no shock results. In like manner Congress has ordained that Immigration shall be scientifically matched to the U. S. racial bloodstream.

It is far simpler, however, to match up the blood of individuals than the many mixed bloods of a populous nation. In attempting to execute the orders of Congress, a large corps of census experts, statisticians and genealogists have wrestled for four years with the problem of tracing back for 140 years the ancestry of 120,000 people. The chief results so far have been expert disagreements and rancorous race disputes.

Quotas. In 1921 the quota system was first applied to restrict European immigration into the U. S. A slot method of admission was set up, its size crudely fixed at 3% of the number of foreign-born U. S. residents enumerated in the Census of 1910. This slot seemed still too large. In 1924 it was closed to 2% of the foreign-born population of the 1890 census.

National Origins. This was not a scientific way to filter aliens into the U. S if the original native stock of the country was to be preserved. The 1924 law therefore carried a provision for the establishment of quotas based on National Origins Scientists were to determine the racial composition of the present day U. S., starting from the first U. S. census (1790. pop 3,900,000), analyzing the growth of population to date with reference to national ancestries and thus, in effect, fixing the proportion each foreign country contributed to U.S. "native stock" and the development of that stock since. To the U S were then to be admitted 150,000 immigrants annually, in direct proportion to the contributions their native countries have made to the whole U. S. population, past and present, Negroes excluded, new policy was to go into effect by Presidential proclamation July 1,1927.

Postponement. The British burned most early U. S. census details in the sack of Washington in 1814. Native stock, clear in the early days, was blurred by intermarriage with alien newcomers. Historical data is scant or unreliable. Racial names have become meaningless through social changes. So the 2Oth Century scientists bogged down in confusion and Congress in 1927, postponed the effective date of National Origins to July 1, 1928; later to July 1, 1929, where it now remains.

Hoover. Herbert Hoover, as Secretary of Commerce, with the Secretaries of State and Labor, constituted a special commission to report the scientists' findings. This report said: "Although this is the best information we have been able to secure, we wish to. . .state that in our opinion the statistical and historical information available raises grave doubts as to the whole value of these computations.

As a Presidential candidate Herbert Hoover again said: "The basis now in effect [2% quota] carries out the essential principle of the law and I favor repeal of that part of the law calling for a new [National Origins] basis of quotas.'

Changes Involved. Last week President Coolidge sent to Congress the final "scientific" figures, showing what would happen under National Origins. No great numerical difference would mark the change. At present the 2% quota system admits about 164,000 immigrants per year. Under National Origins about 153,000 aliens--150,000 as set in the law, plus the 100 minimum allowance to all countries--would come in. There would, however, be a marked change in the composition of U. S. immigration.

For example, the 2% quota system now admits 51,227 Germans each year. Just prior to the census of 1890, there was a heavy tide of German immigration, far above Germany's average in earlier and subsequent periods. Under National Origins, the German quota would be cut down to 25,957.

On the other hand, the majority ot U. S people are of British ancestry. British immigration had dwindled when the 1890 census was taken. The British quota on that basis allows only -34,007 newcomers. Under the National Origins system Great Britain's quota would be 65,721.

National Origins would reduce Irish immigration from 28,500 to 17,500; Norwegian, from 6,400 to 2,300; Swedish, from 9,500 to 3,300. It would increase Italian immigration from 3,800 to 5,800, Dutch from 1,600 to 3,153, Spanish from 131 to 252.