Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1920 — MUST READ THE PSALMS [ARTICLE]

MUST READ THE PSALMS

- Used in Reading Test for Aliens at Ellis Island. —T —. ■ • Required to Read From 30 to 40 Words in Any Language „ - He Desires. New York. —Uncle Sam will soon be conducting great classes in reading the Psalms almost at the feet of the Statue of Liberty. The pre-war practice of examining all immigrants who eome by steerage at Ellis Island has been restored. More than 1,000 men and women twill read from the Psalms there dally. And Miw Liberty, who stands a stone’s (throw from the island slip, could hear bf she were incarnate. Reeding from the Psalms is the literacy test tor admission to this country, which Went Into effect in May, 1917, gad is now receiving its first real trial ..t K* MJ* t ' . .4, ..

because immigration during the war was small. The law provides that an immigrant, with a few exceptions, must be able to read from thirty to forty words in any language he or she desires. The department of labor devised the Psalm as the fairest for all. Immigration inspectors are equipped with cards in all languages, with verses from the Psalms printed on them. AU types of script are represented—German, Arabic, Hebrew, Japanese, Russian, and so on—except Chinese, for that nationality is not permitted to Immigrate. Lest any alien learn, parrot-like the verse of the Psalm that's friend in this country had to read, the inspectors have at least 40 different verses in each language, one verse to a card. Primary examination at the island will require many more employees. Immigration authorities have estimated It will take 31,000,000 more annually to Increase the force to a proper

size as well as "to raise salaries of present employees so that skilled workers will nbt-Teavetheservice for private employment.