Speech #560080979

Mr. President. I do not concur in the suggestion of the Senator from Massachusetts that the whole provision should be stricken out. .1 think it desirable that the House requirement should be retained. putting the enforcement of the laws in reference to Chinese immigration under the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration. As the law now stands the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration is an officer in the Treasury Department. under the control and supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury. and he has charge. under the Secretary of the Treasury. of the administration of the alien contractlabor laws as well as the general immigration laws. There has been a dual jurisdiction in the Treasury Department. The Secretary. through an Assistant Secretary. has administered the Chineseexclusion act. while the CommissionerGeneral of -Immigration has had the ordinary immigration laws. and lately the alien contract labor laws. to administer. The House provision is necessary. Of course the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration has to perform his duties "under the supervision and control of the Secretary of the Treasury." That is the first line of the amendment proposed by the committee. Those words are unnecessary. because that is the condition of the CommissionerGeneral without those words. but of course there is no objection to them.