United Colleges - Vox Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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30 VOX preference of immigrants. Before intelligent preference exercised through orders-in-council rather than a rigid legislative enactment. Our present government policy rec¬ ognizes, of course, the rigid exclu¬ sion of moral degenerates, lunatics, convicted criminals, and the like. Canada’s Needs The needs of Canada in the mat¬ ter of immigration can only be suggested here by a brief considera¬ tion of fundamental economic prin¬ ciples. Canada is in the process of industrial development. What fac¬ tors, then, we may ask, are neces¬ sary for progress in a country in this process of development? hirst of ail, great natural resources are needed, and there is no doubt about Nature’s bounty in Canada. Then there is the matter of capital. In passing, we should recognize that there are restrictions and limitations to the flow of capital to our devel¬ oping industries. But, if the op¬ portunity is here, the money mar¬ kets of the world will pour the vitalizing flow of capital into our country, just as surely as water will flow downhill. Finally, what about the Labor element in our industrial life? Labor, just like capital, when considered as an economic factor, is governed by economic laws, and if available in the world at all, it will be supplied to our industrial needs. This does not in the least suppose that we must take all and everyone who comes along, for we shall always retain the right to ex¬ clude “undesirable s,” I hope, and through proper selection, and by the exercise of an intelligent pref¬ erence, we shall admit those immi¬ grants which we deem “desirable.” Principles of Preference In conclusion, then let us con¬ sider what principles operate. The Open Door policy is untenable for many reasons, some of which will undoubtedly suggest themselves to the reader at once. Nor would a general and absolute prohibition of immigration find many supporters among those who have intelligent¬ ly considered the needs of our coun¬ try. A quota system, after the style of the United States, might be proposed. Yet, on reflection, the vital factors of the problem will be seen to be beyond the scope of a policy based on mere numbers and percentages. Thus finally the principle of Preference based on sound standards offers an acceptable policy. In general terms we prefer peo¬ ple like ourselves, for there is a great underlying fear in the public mind against mingling racial stocks which cannot be assimilated into our national life, and the fear is quite justified. The more indissol¬ uble the ingredients of the national melange are, the more acute are the resultant national problems, such as, congestion in the foreign quar¬ ters of our large cities, disruption of industry, political unrest, and so¬ cial upheaval. These are real dan¬ gers which lurk near at hand for us, and as such cannot be ignored. Also, like rational and intelligent citizens, we should recognize the vital needs of Canada in the matter of immigration. The logical course of action for us to pursue, then, is to exercise our preference so that the needs may be met, and all avoidable dangers may be avoided. The ultimate criterion by which the immigrant should be measured is that he should be a potential citi¬ zen for Canada, one who will fit into our national life, serve our na¬ tional ideals, and help us achieve our national destiny.

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vox 29 Immigration—A National Problem By Burton T. Richardson None of the national problems confronting Canada today are more important than the immigra¬ tion question. The number, qual¬ ity and condition of the popula¬ tion of the future has a vital sig¬ nificance for every Canadian prob¬ lem of major importance. There¬ fore, the question of our present immigration policy should be a prime consideration to every Cana¬ dian citizen. Our national policy in this matter should be recognized as one of the chief factors to be con¬ sidered relative to the question as to who we, as a Canadian race, will be in the future. Present Racial Composition Let us first answer the question of who we as Canadians are now, then let us consider what sort of a national stock we should wish to evolve for the future. It will in¬ clude some survey of some of Canada ' s needs in the matter of population, and then, and then only, shall be have reached an ade¬ quate basis on which to form an opinion of what Canada’s immi¬ gration policy should be. In the first place, the two pre¬ dominant racial stocks in Canada have always been, and still are, British and French. The last Do¬ minion census (1921) showed that these two stocks constitute about eighty-three percent, of the total population and that the remaining seventeen percent, are divided among thirty or more races. The question which naturally arises at this point is. How does the pres¬ ent policy of Canada in this mat¬ ter act to preserve this dominant strain? A brief glance at the latest available statistics on immigration shows that for the first eight months of the fiscal year of 1928 British and U.S. immigrants (the latter being largely of British an¬ cestry) constituted about fifty- three percent, of the total. Added to this we have the assurance of Mr. Forke, speaking in Brandon a few weeks ago, that his policy for the coming year will be that of closer adherence to the principle of British preference. Therefore, as far as the immediate considerations of the problem are concerned, if we consider that the present mix¬ ture of population is satisfactory, it is being maintained by the present policy. Desirable Immigrants Let us then consider the quali¬ ties and characteristics of the type of immigrant which we consider desirable and satisfactory for Can¬ ada. What must he be, what must he possess in order to conform to our standard as an eligible new¬ comer to our country? The first obvious consideration is that he must conform to a high physical and mental standard. This is the first criterion which should oper¬ ate in our immigration policy, for no one will deny that our citizens of tomorrow require strong phy¬ siques and firm mentalities. Other criteria which, I believe, should op¬ erate in this matter, and which are not mentioned very often in an im¬ migration discussion, are those which may be termed moral, social, industrial, political, even aesthetic. These aspects of the question, if considered, will take account of ele¬ ments of our national life which are perhaps better controlled by an guide in the matter of selection and

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vox 31 Bibliothecal Felicities With Apologies to Addison I know of nothing more typical of the advance in civilization which has been made in our own day and generation, than is manifest by our maintenance of places for the fix¬ ing of social standards and rela¬ tions. One reads with interest of the custom of the ancients who, for the exchange of discourse and com¬ ment upon topics of the day, were wont to frequent artificial baths, or swimming pools. At a much later period of the world’s develop¬ ment, the wits, philosophers, and, in general, men of ambition, con¬ gregated at the royal courts for the purpose of showing their parts, and of obtaining such information as was then of great moment. I shall not further presume upon my read¬ er’s indulgence than by venturing to recall to his memory the epoch of that Mr. Joseph Addison, whose skill in the art of writing many young persons of our time would fain still imitate: and in whose pe¬ riod the public coffee house was the scene of much beneficial as well as frivolous intercourse. As I was yesterday perusing an edition of the Encyclopaedia Britan- nica, which volumes are to be found only in our larger and more copious libraries, I was arrested in my reading by the entrance of a number of young people, of whom, a young lady and gentleman were so amiably disposed as to take up a position in the seats quite near to my right hand. Whereupon they immediately engaged themselves in what I first esteemed to be an inti¬ mate exchange of confidences, but which I have later identified in a much broader and more compre¬ hensive character. Of all discour¬ tesies, least wishing to be guilty of that practice commonly known as eaves-dropping, I was at great pains to alter my situation to a more re¬ mote section of the chamber. Upon my so doing, however, I was not a little dismayed and astonished to behold the couple follow my exam¬ ple and again occupy the adjoining seat. For my own part, it was of the utmost importance that I should obtain certain information from the records of the volume previous¬ ly mentioned which I was in need of, for a paper requested of me by a department of the Wesley Col¬ lege. But as the parchment was not one of those which may be re¬ moved from the apartment, I de¬ termined to pursue my reading as best I might. Whilst I was thus engaged, and in spite of my faithful endeavor to concentrate my faculties complete¬ ly upon the matter before me, I could not do otherwise than pay heed to certain parts of my com¬ panions’ conversation. I hope,” says the young man, leaning far over the table and gaz¬ ing into the eyes of the maiden (whose orbs I afterwards remarked to be of a robin’s-egg blue), “I hope, Miss Lucy, you will not con¬ sider me to be sentimental, for then my words could but fall lightly upon your ears.” To which en¬ treaty our coy damoiselle replied by a most becoming and graceful lowering of the eyelashes, accom¬ panied by such a dainty and pretty confusion! “But do you know,” continues he, “that when I first saw you at that little informal affair, I