Speech #630133808

And we all know that if in the history of our country those who were not able to read had not been permitted to be pioneers of the country. the country would still remain unsettled. and if those who were not able to read had not been permitted to come into the country we still would be a desert land. I can not bring my conscience to the point where it enables me to judge of the desirability of a foreigner becoming an American citizen. with the right to rear his children here. by. the test of whether.. without the opportunity. he has been able to learn to read. There ought to be other tests which will enable us to properly restrict immigration. I do not believe that this land of ours. held up as the hope of the ignorant everywhere in the world. held up as the hope of the oppressed throughout the lands of the world. that here we can afford to -say. No matter how willing you are to become a good citizen. no matter how industrious you may be. no matter how ecoomical you may be. no matter how willing to work you may. be. yet -you can not become one of us except by the arbitrary test of whether. -without the opportunity which we had. you have learned to do that whlch we baye learned to do. namely. to read.