Immigrants are required on arrival to submit to the immigration officials a certificate from the judicial authorities of their country of origin, viséd free of charge by the Argentine consular officers in that country, showing that the immigrant has not been convicted of felony or any crime punishable by confinement and hard labor during the 10 years previous to his arrival, nor suffered from mental aberration, nor practiced begging. A photograph of the immigrant should be attached to his passport and bear the seal of the authority issuing the passport or of the Argentine consul. Immigrants not provided with the aforesaid documents will be returned to the port of origin, and the captain of the ship will be subject to the fine prescribed by law. PERMITS REQUIRED OF ALL FOREIGNERS At the beginning of August, 1921, the Executive Power issued a decree establishing the obligatory use of an individual permit for all foreigners who enter the country, in addition to the documents which the law and immigration regulations require. By the new regulation, all foreigners must solicit of the Argentine consul in the country of origin an individual permit, which the consul will grant on proof of the correctness of the data required to be given. On arrival in Argentina, this permit is presented to the immigration authorities, who preserve it in the files of the bureau.8 CITIZENSHIP ACQUIRED EASILY Citizenship is easily acquired by aliens in the Argentine Republic; this is provided for in the constitution. "Aliens shall enjoy in the territory of the Nation the same civil rights as are vested in the citizens; they shall be allowed to engage in industrial, commercial and professional From Boletin del Musco Social Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 25, 1921. occupations; to own, hold, and sell real estate; to navigate the rivers and to travel along the coasts; to practice freely their religion; to dispose of their property by will, and to contract marriage according to the laws. They are not bound to become citizens or to pay forced extraordinary taxes. They may obtain naturalization by residing two consecutive years in the Republic, but this period of time can be shortened upon application and proof that the applicant has rendered services to the Republic." RECENT LAWS OF PERU, BOLIVIA, AND VENEZUELA In order to emphasize the fact that South America is open to the outsider, not only the Argentine Republic and Brazil, but also other portions, summaries of recent immigration laws of three other republics are herewith given. These may be compared with the two already discussed. Immigration Decree of Peru The following decree has been issued 10 by the President of the Republic: "Whereas, until the Law for the promotion of immigration is issued it is necessary, in order to defend national cohesion and the rights of the collectivity, to issue regulations for the admission and identification of immigrants and travelers. "Decrees: "1. The nation undertakes to pay 3d-class fare for the white immigrant, who is not a gypsy, and for three members of his family, provided that, his admittance having been agreed to, his morality is proved. "2. The nation guarantees the living and lodging expenses of the immigrant and his family for a term of six days, to be counted from that on which he came ashore, and furthermore his transport to the place he has elected as his residence. Article 20 of the Constitution of the Argentine Republic (translation). 10 Given at Government House, on the 10th of October, 1919. The West Coast Leader, Lima, Peru. "3. All articles and furniture for the personal use of the immigrant and his family, as well as their agricultural implements and the tools of their arts or crafts, shall enter duty-free. "4. A Board of officials formed by the representatives of the Callao Political and Maritime Sanitary Authorities shall examine, either personally or through their subordinates, but always under their responsibility, both immigrants and their families and travelers who land. For the time being immigrants will be allowed to land at Callao only. "5. The requisites for the admittance of immigrants and travelers are: Their identification by means of a passport bearing their photograph; the documents which authentically accredit their good behavior, their intention of residing within national territory in order to exercise some useful industry, trade, art, or craft; or the reasons for their journey and their landing; and their Health Certificates, and respective finger and palm impressions. "The Direction of Public Works is charged with the carrying out of this decree and shall report all difficulties met with in its application. "The expense incurred shall be charged to such Department's Extraordinary Expense Account." Bolivia By law of October 27, 1921, concerning immigration, it is provided that every person entering the country must have the following documents: A passport from his native country with a complete personal description and finger-prints, viséd by the Bolivian consuls along the course of the immigrant's journey; a health certificate stating that the bearer has no infectious or contagious disease, viséd by a physician of the place in which the immigrant last resided; a certificate from the community of residence that the immigrant has not been tried nor condemned for crimes during the last five years, and a certificate that he practices an honest profession. Minor children de scribed in the passports of their parents are required only to have the health certificate showing freedom from disease.11 Venezuela Law of June 26, 1918. The immigration law 12 of the above date provides for a central immigration board in the capital of the Republic, and in the capitals of the state branch immigration boards, whose duties are to foster, encourage, and facilitate the bringing in of and obtaining work for immigrants. The Government will appoint immigration agents in Europe, the Canary Islands, and at other places. The law considers as immigrants foreigners of good conduct who go to Venezuela with the object of permanently residing there. The following persons shall not be accepted as immigrants nor have the right to the benefits of the immigration law: Persons who are not of European races nor islanders of the yellow race of the Northern Hemisphere; persons over 60 years of age, unless they are parents or grandparents of immigrants; persons of bad habits, or who suffer from contagious diseases; and criminals. The law treats in separate chapters of the rights and duties of immigrants. Venezuela, it will be observed, is more specific than the other republics in regard to racial exclusions, and in this more nearly follows the legislation of English-speaking countries. Venezuela is the only South American country to take such action, although the Argentine Senate, as early as 1910, approved a constitutional change which would exclude colored immigrants. This proposal does not appear to have become law. The issue involved will doubtless gain in importance as the decades pass. Since this subject will come up for discussion in the concluding chapter, it need not, in spite of its importance, be pursued further here. 13 "Pan-American Union. "This summary of the law was published in the Official Gazette of Venezuela of August 1, 1918. 13 Jenks and Lauck: The Immigration Problem, page 293. ARGENTINA SPELLS RICHES TO EUROPEANS On account of extravagant expenditure by wealthy Argentines in European cities, the Argentine Republic, like the United States of America, is a synonym for a land of golden streets and consequently of heart's desire. The result of this reputation is seen in immigration returns. There is not, however, much opportunity for unskilled laborers, except on the land, in Argentina. The United States of America is still the Mecca for the factory hand, but a Mecca that is becoming more unattainable with each new law. It may be that the Argentine Republic will eventually absorb much of the immigration stream from Southeastern Europe. BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR PART III Clemenceau, Georges: South America of To-day, 1911. Jenks, J. W., and Lauck, W. J.: The Immigration Problem (5th edition), 1923. Koebel, W. H.: The New Argentine, 1923. Koebel, W. H., Editor: Anglo-South American Hand-book, 1922. Oakenfull, J. C.: Brazil—A Centenary of Independence (7th edition). (Published by C. S. Wagner, Freiburg. I. B., Germany. This book contains full bibliographies in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, which would prove useful to students familiar with those languages. There is little, however, that bears directly on immigration, but a great deal of value about the country.) 1922. Pan-American Union, publications of the, 1922. Pan-American Union, publication of the Argentine Republic, 1923. Government Reports of South American countries are to be found in the library of the Pan-American Union (which consists of 50,000 volumes), Washington, D. C. |