Speech #630135051

They know the necessity of it. They know that the Democratic platform declared in 1908 in favor of it. They know that our President in his campaign. or those in charge of the campaign. sent out millions of slips showing that the President was in favor of the exclusion of Asiatics. and that in their judgment that class of people should not become a part of this country. inasmuch as they could not assimilate. The majority of this committee and the Republican members of the committee acquiesced in the opinion that that bill should come up as a separate bill on the ground that it was better to bring it up in that way. They were in favor of it. and inasmuch as this Burnett bill was of such importancea bill relating to European immigration and the other relating to Asiatic immigrationthey contended that the two should not be combined. One related to immigration and the other related to the exclusion of those who conic from Asia. and it was the determination of the committee to keep the two separate. and so that the House could have an early vote upon the Burnett bill. and so that the House might have an early and full vote upon the Asiatic exclusion bill. no amendment was offered to include this on the Burnett bill. And I want to say at this time that my colleagues froln California. who have been in Congress for 12 years. never asked the committee for a h earing on their bill. They have never asked the 1louse to consider it.