100 Indians

The U.S., which still bars natives of 13 countries and colonies* from citizenship, got ready last week to open the door to immigrants from India. Passed by the House and approved in Senate committee was a bill--sponsored by Representatives Clare Boothe Luce and Emanuel Celler, and Senators Joe Ball and Arthur Capper --permitting a maximum of 100 Indians to enter the country each year as prospective citizens.

For handsome, swarthy Sirdar J. J. Singh, president of the India League of America, this was almost the end of a two-year fight. A 6-ft. Sikh from Kashmir, Singh had written thousands of letters, made hundreds of phone calls, tirelessly stalked Capitol Hill hallways. He had battled Congressional apathy, prejudice and plain ignorance. (Some legislators had thought he was talking about American Indians.)

There are some 4,000 East Indians in the U.S. now. Of these, about 3,000 who arrived before the 1924 Immigration Act will be eligible for citizenship under the new law. Of the remainder, 360 are U.S. citizens by birth; others are temporary visitors as students, tourists or businessmen like Singh (a Manhattan importer).

When the naturalization bar to Indians is lifted, J. J. Singh plans to take advantage of it himself. He will go back to India and re-enter as a quota man.

*India, Japan, Korea, Malaya, Siam, British Pacific Islands, French Pacific Islands, Guam, Java, The Netherlands Indies, Philippines, Samoa and Sumatra.

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