And in explanation of this resolution I should like to read to the House what I have jotted down here. It is very brief. Long before the California trouble was even thought of the impotence of our National Government with regard to legislation by independent States affecting the rights and privileges of noncitizens or citizens of other countries or treaty rights of other countries was felt to be a serious defect in our scheme of government. The controversy with Japan has simply made this defecta result of the compromise which made the adoption of the Constitution possiblean acute question. If we are really a Nation with a big "N" and not merely a federation of States. the power to legislate on such matters should be reserved to Congress exclusively. and the constitutional amendment which I propose provides for just that and nothing else.
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noncitizens