Speech #630385076

They seldom appear at the almshouse and seldom appear in a court of justice -in response to a criminal prosecution. They come from countries where they have not had an opportunity to secure an education. Now it is urged that we must change our policy and no longer. admit that our country shall be an asylum. that we shall regulate our immigration laws without any regard to the principle of asylum. but. Mr. President. this bill in the very form it passed the House and in the form in which it is reported to the Senate by the committee concedes the principle of asylum on our shores to the oppressed. If this exception to the literacy clause means anything. if It is any more than an empty. hope .held out to oppressed people. It means that in their case. where they do flee from oppression. we recognize the asylum principle regardless of the literacy test. So we have the verdict of the House and we have the verdict of the Senate committee that we should recognize the principle of asylum within certain degrees. The Spnator from Mississippi. who has spoken so :strongly ngainst the thought of asylum. has offered an amendment here that carries the spirit of asylum in its very terms. because he proposes to make an exception to this rule further to those people who. because of the military occupation of their country by a foreign power. no longer live under the Government under which they formerly lived. Without regard to literacy they are to be admitted here. There is the admission that we still retain. and that. born of an instinct of jistIce and huinanity. we ought to retain. the spirit and sentiment of asylum In our immigration laws. I am In favor of the amendment. because ever since it has been my privilege to sit in this Chamber I have believed in one thing. and have been consistent in my belief and in my practice. I believe that when we pass legislation we should make legislation plain. so that it can be understood. so that It can be interpreted. and so that there will be the least possible difference of opinion as to its meaning and Its interpretation. If it is the sentiment of the House. .if it is the sentiment of the Senate committee. that we should recognize the principle of asylum in our Immigration laws to the extent of admitting those who flee from religious persecution. we should recognize that in the policy of foreign Governments it Is almost impossible to distinguish between that which comes from religious or political or racial persecution. We can not say of the unfortunate Jews in foreign countries whether it is religious. whether It Is political. or whether it is racial. but we pretend here to hold out to these oppressed people the hope that in their oppression Is to be found an exception to our literacy test. and a recognition that somewhere. under certain * limitations. we recognize the principle of asylum in our innmigration law&. That being true. Mr.