Speech #610278153

I do not desire to duplicate any remarks that have already been made. It is this: "All these methods would be effective in one way or another in securing restrictions in a greater or less degree. A majority of the commission favor the reading and writing test as the most feasible single method of restricting undesirable immigration. "The commission as a whole recommends restriction as demanded by economic. moral. and social considerations. furnishes In its report reasons for such restriction. and points out methods by which Congress can attain the desired result if its judgment coincides with that of the commission." For the consummation of that purpose eight members of that commission. out of the nine. decided: "The investigations of the commission show an oversupply of unskilled labor in basic industries to an extent which indicates an oversupply of unskilled labor in the industries of the country as a whole. and therefore demand legislation which will at the present time restrict the further admission of such unskilled labor. It is desirable In making the restriction that"(a) A sufficient number be debarred to produce a marked effect upon the present supply of unskilled labor. "(b) As far as possible. the aliens excluded should be those who come to this country with no intention to become American citizens or even to maintain a permanent residence here. but merely to save enough. by the adoption if necessary. of low standards of living. to return permanently to their home country. Such persons arc usually men unaccompanied by wives or children. "(c) As far as possible the aliens excluded should also be those who. by reason of their personal qualities or habits. would least readily be asgimilated or would make the least desirable citizens." As has been said by Mr. GARDNER of Massachusetts. this would scarcely affect any immigrants over 14 years of age of the people of northwestern Europe. The following are about the percentagesI merely give it from my recollection: Less than 2 per cent of the Irish would be excluded. less than 2 per cent of the English and Scotch would be excluded . about 2 per cent of the Scandinavians . about 5 per cent of the Germans . less than 10 per cent of the north Italians. less than 2 per cent of the Bohemians. more than 50 per cent of those whom the report of the Immigration Commission says are the ones who are undesirable. the unskilled laborers. who are coming in competition with the laborer of our country. Fiftyodd per cent of the south Italians. under that test. would be excluded and should be for two reasons: First. because of their illiteracy. and also they are the very class that usually come without their families and do not intend to become citizens. We would reach those very classes that we think lower the standards of American living. and. at the same time. come in acute and injurious competition with the working people of our country.