Prime

THE CABINET

One thing is certain, there is nothing to view with alarm in the immigration statistics for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1926, announced last week by Secretary of Labor James J. Davis. Since the passage of the Immigration Quota Law of 1924, which assigned a definite quota to the countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, it makes little difference in the alien population of the U. S. whether or not there is a bad potato crop in Ireland or a revolution in Hungary. Immigration has become a standpat, almost mechanical phenomenon. Compare the figures for the last two years:

1925 1926

Aliens admitted 458,435 496,106

Aliens leaving 225,490 227,755

Net increase 232,945 268,351

The 496,106 aliens admitted during the last fiscal year may be divided into three approximately equal groups: 1) natives of the quota countries; 2) natives of the nonquota countries, principally Canada and Mexico; 3) returning alien residents of the U. S., temporary visitors, transients, wives and children of U. S. citizens, etc. And, said Secretary Davis proudly: "About three-fourths of the present-day immigrant aliens are in the prime of life--16 to 44 years old."