Immigrants, Progressives, and exclusion politics: the Dillingham Commission, 1900-1927

Abstract

The American Problem at beginning of twentieth century was immigration. In years after Civil War, not only had annual numbers of skyrocketed but demographic mix had changed. These so-called new immigrants came from eastern and southern Europe; many were Catholics or Jews. Clustered in slums, clinging to their homeland traditions, they drew suspicion. Rumors of a papist conspiracy and a wave of anti-Semitism swept nation as rabid nativists crusaded - sometimes violently - for elimination of foreigners. In place of wholesale denunciation, wild theories, and impractical propositions, however, progressive reformers proposed the calm consideration of rational and practical measures. With their faith in social engineering, they believed that enlightened public policy would lead to prosperity and justice. Such was hope of Dillingham Commission, appointed by Congress in 1907 to investigate immigrant problem. In Immigrants, Progressives, and Exclusion Politics, Robert Zeidel introduces nine members of Dillingham Commission, created by immigrant act of 1907, and shadows them from day to day, in office, on board ship, at inspection station, as they meticulously gathered facts for their 41-volume report. In general, Dillingham Commission reached positive conclusions. If it recommended immigrant restrictions, it did so for economic - rather than cultural or racial - reasons. With isolationist backlash after Great War and in face of Red Scare, commission saw its work hijacked. Compiled in spirit of objectivity, report was employed to justify nativist goals as United States imposed stringent restrictions limiting number of from each country. In end, prejudice trumped progressive idealism.