Speech #590092202

Mr. President. I am satisfied. as I said a few moments ago. that the trouble with this whole matter is the desire on the part of the steamship companies to profit by the bringing of immigrants into the United States. I am in favor of the amendment offered by the Senator from Massachusetts . for the reason that it helps to relieve the steamship companies from the responsibility put upon them to examine immigrants and to pass upon their fitness to come to the Unitqd States before embarking. I think it is putting a hardship upon the steamship companies to compel them to find out before an immigrant boards a ship coming to the United States that he is absolutely sound in body and mind and qualified to earn a living when he reaches the United States. I can see how. with the closest scrutiny. possibly some immigrant might slip through the line inder their inspection and be detected on this side by our immigrant inspectors and have to be deported at the expense of the steamship company. Therefore I am in favor of any action on the part of the United States Government that will aid the steamship lines in every way possible in making this examination. The trouble as I see it Is the desire on the part of the steamship companies to make money. which causes them to induce immigrants to come to the United States. I think this abuse ought to be surrounded with all the restrictions which the Government can throw around the examination. and then. in case immigrants of an undesirable class are brought here. a penalty ought to be provided. not only a fine of $100 upon the steamship companies. but such a penalty as will destroy the profitmaking incentive for bringing such people to the United States. Suppose you fine the steamship companies $100 for each immigrant rejected under section 2 whom they seek to bring into the United States? A steamship company can easily collect $150 from the immigrant. take $100 to pay the fine. and still have a profit. But if you fine the companies twice the amount they have received from the immigrant. there is nothing left to the steamship companies to cause them to encourage immigrants of this class to come to the United States. because you have taken all the profit out of that class of traffic.