Mr. Shelley (Alabama) moved in Congress to raise, from January 1, 1879, the head tax on every Chinese immigrant, to $250. A five-year prison term is to be imposed on every Chinese, not complying with this law.

This of course would solve the Chinese question in this country... When England recently tried to import German, Italian and American labor, the Communists called this a shameless act performed by the capital of that country. But rage alone will not change conditions, and force used by labor against labor would surely not be in accord with the Communist doctrine of the "International Solidarity" of workers against capital. The measure proposed by Mr. Shelley would prevent bloodshed.... It would mean an attempt to solve the social question. But those Communists in favor of Shelley's proposal would do well to take our warning, that this proposal is of far-reaching importance. The same measure used against Chinese immigrants could be applied to German, Bohemian, Swedish, Norwegian and Irish immigration. The principle and purpose would be the same. If the Chinese workers, seeking 2employment in this country, are responsible for the lowering of wages, European labor is not less responsible for this condition, for all they can count on is their strength and power to work, and in order not to become a burden to the community they have to sell their services at any price. It is well-known fact that during the middle fifties the "Know-Nothing" movement found that its principal support came from trades people. Due to the large influx of Europeans which caused a steady decrease in the wage scale, they became exceedingly alarmed. Embittered, they raved and raged against the "hordes of raw barbarians" and the "flat-footed, hunchbacked and wooden-headed Dutchmen." The situation is almost identical now in California where people rave against the "dirty, stinking, long-haired Chinese". The head tax idea was not advocated at that time for the simple reason that there was no statesman like Mr. Shelley. Through his Immigration Bill he wants to lead labor toward its salvation. It should not take us by surprise if an 3extension of this proposal should include European labor wishing to settle in this country. Be on the look-out German Communists for this would be fatal to your imported doctrine, as soon as European immigration is stopped.