Speech #620138134

President. immaterial whether we belong to that school of cheerful political optimists who believe that by the direct primary. the initiative. the referendum. and the recall a change is going to be wrought in the character of our people. a change more wondrous than a sea change and more miraculous than the alchemists drckim of converting common dross into pure gold. the change of the derelict citizen into the sage statesman. the change that will make the citizen. who today through indifference or ignorance fails to discharge the burdens of citizenship. discharge with intelligence and with zeal those added burdens which will be imposed upon him. or whether we belong to the school of politicians who believe that these changes unchecked portend the end of representative government. and who believe that representative government. as it has existed in the United States by virtue of what it has stood for. by virtue of what it has achieved for mankind. is deserving of commendation and perpetuation and not of repudiation and destructionto whichever school we may belong. we all must realize that we stand on the threshold of an era in which the capacity of the American people for selfgovernment will be tested as it has never heretofore been tested . and in meeting the great govermnental questions which confront them they have a right to be protected from the injection into the body politic of millions of aliens. uneducated and incapable within any limited time of becoming intelligent American citzens. They have a right to make this demand. and that is their demand today. E%-ery consideration. Mr. President. seems to me to make imperative a substantial reduction in immigration. and there is no question that the literacy test is the best single means of reducing immigration. reaching. as it does. that class of inmigrants which is most undesirable. For these reasons I shall support the bill as submitted to the committee and shall oppose the committee amendment.