Speech #630381152

President. what the Senator now says and what he has before said to the same effect. but he should understand that. when I speak in general terms about the kind of people I have attempted most feebly to describe. I have meant to limit the application of.my remarks to such of them as could not comply with the literacy. test. I have not thought it* necessary in this intelligent body to keep repeating the term "literacy test " every. time I attempted to formulate a sentence. that is to be understood. Mr. President. I think we can limit the right of entrance into our country so as to exclude undesirable people of whatever kind. even though this literacy test should be eliminated from the bill. The Senator from South Carolina says that it is put in to help eliminate or to exclude undesirable immigrants. I would not write that into this proposed law if I were conscious that only a single man of the kind I have described should be denied entrance herea man who is brave. who is physically and morally sound. whose soul is lit up by the fire of patriotism. whose sole offense is the advocacy of things intended for the betterment of his race and human kinda man who was driven from his native heath by the sharp sword of persecutionI would never shut him out of America. and especially would I not shut him out when I reflect that nien of bad morals. of imperfect physical condition. men afflicted with maladies -mental oir physical. men who would undermine the very foundation of our institutions. which are built uponthe toil and tears and blood of our people. may come to our shores notwithstanding the literacy test. None such as these Ilast describe ought to be admitfed.. but they may not be excluded by the literacy test. for we do know. if we know anything. that the mfost dangerous of our immigrants will not be kept out because of that test. I repeat I would not shut out a brave man of noble impulses merely because he could not read. nor would I -shut his childreh out becau.se they could not read. My friend from South Carolina says that it is hardly conceivable that men and women should grow to maturity in any land without acquiring the ability to read or* write. or to read according to this test.