TESTING MALE IiM.MIGKANTS AT ELLIS ISLAM) 



In 1914, the last year of heavy immijjration, 6,5.^7 aliens were exeluded heeause (>f jihvsieal 

 or mental defeet whieh was thought likely to make tliem l;eeome ])nl)lie eharges. Half of 

 these were suffering from some loathsome or eontagous disease, while 1,247 were mentally 

 defective. Trachoma, a contagious disease of the eyes, is the commonest cause for exclu- 

 sion, and four-fifths of those who were excluded for ])hysical defects were suffering from it. 

 Since the outbreak of the war, the number of immigrants arriving lias much decreased, and 

 the examiners have therefore had time to ins])ect them more thoroughly, with the result 

 that a larger percentage than usual of defectives has been detected, f'hotcgraith copy- 

 right by Underwood and Underwood. (Fig. \.) 



Indiscriminate h()S])itality to inimi- 

 j.jrants is a sui^rcmcly short-si^^hU'd, 

 selfish, tmj.,'enen)us, tm-American policy. 

 It may j.(i\'e us, for the moment, a com- 

 f(jrtablc feeling that we are i)rovifl- 

 in^' a "refuj^e for the o])])resse(l." 

 Ihit that is as narrow an attitude as the 

 14X 



one which indi.scriminately j,Mves alms 

 to any ])ers()n on the street who asks 

 for money. Such "charit\" may, 

 truly, ])roduce a warm feeling' of per- 

 .sonal j^enerosity in the j^iver himself. 

 But alms-j^ivinj^ of this sort is likely 

 to do more hami than good. It is 



