Finding Freedom
Emergency Quota Act of 1921
The first law that banned immigration to the United States was in 1880 when Chinese immigrants were stopped from entering. [1] This was in fear of the immigrants accepting low wages and taking American jobs. At the time of its passing, the United States welcomed nearly one million immigrants yearly. Between 1890 and 1915, Congress tried many times to set a literacy test in order to achieve immigration status, but the sitting presidents vetoed the bill. [1] Representative Albert Johnson, chair of the House Committee on Immigration, was a strong supporter of restricting immigration totally.
Immigrants arrive at Ellis Island. The Library of Congress.
Elected to the presidency in 1920, Warren Harding had an “America-first” mindset. [1] Following the first world war, Harding quoted that America should, “return to normalcy.” [2] In a campaign promise, Harding vowed to stay out of foreign politics and put America first in an isolationist government. [2] In the 1920 election, the Republicans won both houses and the presidency which allowed for easy passing of legislation. [2] High government officials at the time were corrupt and made legislation out of racial views.
Harding himself called for immigration only for “people whose racial background proved that they could embrace American values to immigrate.” [2] Congress passed the Immigration act of 1921, or the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, which Harding had rejected. The bill, written by Johnson, limited total immigration to 350,000 immigrants per year. The bill itself relied heavily on racial views of European and Asian immigrants claiming the Nordics as the superior race. [1] The emergency of the act was to end after one year but was extended two more as Johnson continued to fight for closed borders.
Finding Freedom
The Emergency quota act was strictly enforced and lessened immigration by nearly 70%. Different races were seen as inferior to the Nordic Whites [1] which prompted the law in order to protect the “superior race” from losing work. However, the Mexican farm workers were seen as “too inferior” and were not affected by the quota act. The bill addressed European and Asian immigration only, allowing for continuous movement and work into the United States for the Mexican immigrants.
Original Text of the Emergency Quota Act of 1921
Congress's original legislation from 1921. Library of Congress.
President Harding on "America First"
(Left) President Warren G. Harding called on the nation to return to normalcy in a 1920 speech. Harding... (2004). In C. Rose (Ed.), American Decades Primary Sources (Vol. 3). Detroit, MI: Gale.
(Above) Harding’s Americanism speech, inspiring a nation to put America First. January 20, 1920. [4]
Bibliography
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Immigration Act of 1921 Imposes Quota System, 1921-1924. (2012). In Historic U.S. Events. Detroit, MI: Gale. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.butler.edu/apps/doc/BT2359030337/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=a278f62d
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Harding, Warren G. (2006). In K. K. Howes (Ed.), Roaring Twenties Reference Library (Vol. 1, pp. 175-182). Detroit, MI: UXL. Retrieved from http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.butler.edu/apps/doc/CX3448000019/UHIC?u=butleru&sid=UHIC&xid=b64ccb82
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U.S. House. (1921). Act to Limit the Immigration of Aliens into the United States (pp. 1-3) [H.R. H.R.4075 from 67th Cong., 1st sess.]. Washington D.C. Retrieved April 29, 2019, from http://library.uwb.edu/Static/USimmigration/42 stat 5.pdf
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Harding, W. G. (2017, April 26). Americanism Janary 1920. Retrieved from https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-20-1920-americanism