President. I will say that it is not my purpose to reply to the last observation of the Senator from South Carolina . but to confine what I have to say to the exact point before the Senate. The Senator did say a moment ago that this proposed amendmeat which we are considering.. which Is intended to exempt persons from the literacy test who -have been the victims of political persecution or of racial persecution. might result in the admission of very undesirable people. such as anarchists and )ersons of immoral character or the like. Mr. President. the same thing might be true if you left the exemption. as it now is in the bill. limited solely to religious persecution. I can very. well conceive. as can the Senator from South Carolina or as can. any other man. that one might come to our shores. knock for admission. and claim the benefits of this exemption from the literacy test on the ground of religious persecution. when in his heart might burn fiercely the fires of anarchism or one who may not be a moral person. What I had in mind to do. Mr. President. was to so limit the. application and effectof the amendment. proposed in the first instance by the Senator from Colorado as to. make such a thing as I have Indicated impossible by inserting. in the amendment. following the word "persons." in line 9 of the printed amendment. words of this import: When otherwise qualified for admission under the laws of the United States Anarchists and other undesirable people who are put under the ban by other provisions of the bill or other statutes already enacted or which may hereafter be enacted. could not come in. even though they were persecuted for religions sake or for political reasons or for racial reasons. I do not want them here. but if a man comes who is otherwise qualified to enteras an immigrant and to be admitted to our citizenship. who has been the victim of harsh andcruel persecution. whether it be for. religious or for political or for purely racial reasons. I would exempt him and all such men from the operation of the literacy test.
Keywords matched
immigrant literacy test