For over a century our country has been heralded as the asylmn for the oppressed of every land. For over a century we have maintained an opendoor policy. Immigrants have been coming to our shores singing the hymns of their native lands. and today they and their posterity are singing "My Country. Tis of Thee." These men who came have builded homes. they have cleared away the forests. they have plowed up our prairies. they have made our cities vast hives of industry. and when the very existence of our country was at stake our foreignborn population loyally responded to the call to save the Union. Thousands of them gave up their lives that this Nation might live. No literacy test was applied to them. When they responded to the call of duty no one tested them as to whether or not they could read. Mr. Chairman. the proposition to prescribe the literacy test to the Immigrant today is nothing short of an insult to the Immigrant of old. We all know these pilgrims of old. We all know these sturdy pioneers who have made our Nation so great.
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Immigrant literacy test Immigrants