Attitudes to immigration

Attitudes to immigration. 

1. Before the First World War, the USA had an "Open Doors" policy, which meant that almost anybody could move the there. Some Americans began to demand that this "door" be closed, though.
2. Most of the people that wanted this to change were part of a powerful and wealthy cultural group in American with mainly British ancestors, later known as WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants).
3. Many WASPs believed that anarchists and communists were emigrating to America and undermining their way of life. They were also alarmed at the large number of Jewish, Asian and Catholic people who were entering the USA.
4. Because of the WASPs strong influence on congress, they were able to get President Harding to place strict limitations on immigration, especially on people from Eastern and Southern Europe.