Italian, Austrian, and Hungarian
Catholic immigrants would be those
mainly affected by the bill, it is
stated, and at least 55 per cent of
Italians would be excluded by the
literacy test and 40 per cent of Aus
tro-Hungarians.
There is reason to believe that the
Vatican is exerting such influence as
it commands at Washington to bring
pressure to bear in the direction of
annihilating the bill of the “anti-
Catholic” clause as the literacy pro
vision is termed.
HI.
The New York Tribune of June
8. 1914, contained a special dispatch
from Washington headed: “Trust
Bill used to Bury Literacy Test —Wil-
son and Democratic leaders eager to
dodge issue;” and stating that “the
Pres dent and some of his followers
are trying to evade the immigration
bill,” because “a religious contro
versy has been injected.” (The R. C.
Hierarchy have ordered the bill sup
pressed.) “The immigration ques
tion is one which the admin stration
would rather evade than solve,” etc.
IV.
