Speech #620065107

I repeat that it does not exist in Russia. and it by no means follows that such citizens as desire to expatriate themselves can demand as a natural or a legal right admission into any other country which they may choose as their future place of residence. Neither can a citizen of one country who desires to change his residence depend wholly upon the exact wording of a treaty existing between his native country and the one of his proposed adoption. for in practice at least the positive terms of a treaty seem to be subject to certain limitations and exceptions. for while this treaty with Russia. and I presume the other treaties which we have heretofore negotiated with European powers. provides for free entry and safe sojourn by the citizens of one country into that of the other without linlitation. yet this Government has at different times enacted laws which expressly prohibited certain citizens from other countries not only from taking up their residence here. but from even entering our country at all. and in apparent contravention of the express terms of our treaty obligations. In this connection. permit me to call your attention to the terms of an act approved February 20. 1907. entitled "An act to regulate immigration of aliens into the United States." which by section 2 thereof. among other things. provides: That the following classes of aliens shall be excluded from admission In the United States: Paupers. persons likely to become a public charge. professional beggars. persons aflhicted with tuberculosis or other loathsome or contagious disease. or who are mentally or physIcally defective. persons who havc committed a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. polygamists. anarchists. or persons who believe in or advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States or of all government. or of all forms of law. or the assassination of public officials. all immoral persons. contract laborers who hav6 been induced to migrate to this contry by agreement. express or implied. skilled or unskilled . all children under the age of 16 years unaccompanied by their parentsand many other undesirable citizens. and it may be stated in passing that Mongolians are absolutely prohibited from entering this country whatever their nationality may have been at the time of their application to enter and absolutely regardless of the terms and conditions of any treaty whatsoever to the contrary. It is therefore apparent that each country concluding a treaty with another reserves the absolute right to determine for itself the class and character of persons which it will admit from foreign countries. and this of necessity must forever remain so. Every government owes it to its citizens to provide certain laws and regulations governing the admission of citizens from foreign lands for the protection of itself and its own citizens. and I apprehend that no country will surrender this right. or does surrender it. by any treaty. whatever its terms may be.