The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 61, July 1957 - April, 1958 Page: 324
591 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Southwestern Historical Quarterly
cluded Orientals on a limited quota basis, to exempt our hemi-
spheric neighbors from restrictive legislation, and to extend the
welcome mat to a generous number of refugees and displaced
persons. It minimizes the economic factor in recent immigration
policy and stresses the increasing importance of nationalism based
on the concept of racial homogeneity.
The author goes behind the congressional scene and shows
how powerful pressure groups and sectional interests also influ-
enced governmental action. Such "patriotic" and racially "pure"
organizations as the American Protective Association, the Amer-
ican Legion, the American Federation of Labor, and the Ku
Klux Klan clamored for restriction, while religious, minority,
and liberal groups fought a losing battle to keep the United States
a refuge for the world's oppressed. Significantly, organized labor
reversed its traditionally restrictive attitude in the case of refugees
and displaced persons. The most vigorous demand for restriction
emanated from the nationalistic Middle West and the conserva-
tive, Protestant, and race-conscious South. Opposition to limita-
tion was centered largely in those eastern cities with heavy con-
centrations of immigrants.
Professor Divine's monograph savors strongly of the seminar
which gave it birth. It meets the exacting standards of scientific
research and contains all the scholarly paraphernalia-footnotes,
appendices, an excellent bibliographical essay, and a useful index.
The arrangement is coherent, the conclusions are restrained, and
the diction is precise-marred only by what picayunish purists
might consider an irritating overuse of such anemic expressions
as "a good deal of," "very definitely," and "without question."
Although the author occasionally passes judgment (our Mexican
policy was "wise and statesmanlike"), he maintains a high de-
gree of objectivity. The subject matter, especially the statistics
and legislative technicalities, is sometimes arid, but the author's
sense of direction and knack for focusing on major points save
it from tedium.
Author Divine has waded through the Coolidge, Roosevelt,
and congressional papers but has uncovered nothing startlingly
new. The merit of his study lies in its analysis and synthesis rather
than its novelty. E. BRUCE THOMPSON
Baylor University324
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 61, July 1957 - April, 1958, periodical, 1958; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101164/m1/382/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.