Speech #630136098

Mr. Chairman. I am in sympathy with the patriotic sentiments expressed here during this discussion concerning the influence of European immigration upon this country. In fact. we are all of alien ancestry. and it is not for us to repudiate that ancestry or its part in our countrys history. Far be it from me to question the statement expressed here that the Civil War was won by immigrants and their immediate ancestors. My own father and five uncles were in that war. two wounded at Gettysburg. and they were of a race that left Europe because of oppression. We are all of the same race hereAmericansequally interested In our countrys welfare. present and future. and any effort to raise standards of citizenship is for the benefit of that country. for the welfare of our children. and for those who come to us from across the water. I doubt not that every Member has received protests against the passage of this bill. instigated. as we are advised. by grasping steamship companies. but we should not be carried away by sentiment nor be clubbed into voting against a bill because of a provision requiring immigrants to read 40 words in their own or any other language they may select. It is not an unreasonable request that they be able to read 40 words in some language. The bill excepts from this literacy test certain members of families now living abroad who desire to join relatives here. and. generally speaking. it is fair in terms. A brief analysis of the character of immigration which came to our shores in 1913 is illuminating. The total reached 1.197.892. of which number 254.825 came from AustriaHungary. 265.542 from Italy and adjacent islands. and 291.040 from Russia. These figures total 811.507 people. or more than twothirds. who came from the three countries named.