Speech #630424201

But. Mr. Speaker. restriction of immigration runs counter to all our history and our democratic sentiments. I am not yet convinced that we need restriction of immigration in the United States. It is true the conditions of today are somewhat different from those of 100 years ago. but today in America. witli millions of untilled acres of land. thousands of acres of forests untouched. vast resources that are undeveloped. this country could support in prosperity and happiness millions and hundreds of millions of more people than It has today. If the coming of men to America meant that every man who came took some bread out 6f.the mouths of those alreadyhere. if the anount of" wealth was limited and it meant sharing it with more men. if I our resources \vere developed and our power to support population fully matuted. then. indeed. it would be wise torestrict immigration. But that is not the fact. and every man in this country.knows that it is not the fact. Furthermore. even if it were necessary to restrict immigration today I would be opposed to the literacy test. which is no test whatever of a mans qualifications to become a citizen of the United States. The question is not whether you can read or write or whether you have been educated. but are you educatable. are you the kind of people who will take advantage of the opportunities for education and work if you have them? Unfortunately there are many countries in Europe peopled by men who have fine human qualities. where the opportunities for education are very limited. and thousands and thousands of men get no opportunity whatever to go to school. I do not believe that it is American. I do not believe that it is just to exclude such men merely because they have not had opportunities in their own land. I would point out to the gentleman from Mississippi . who speaks of the vast amount of wealth we spend in education. -the fact that that wealth that we put into education has been largely created by immigrantsand the sons of immigrants. These men who come here bring with them not only mouths to feed. but hands to work with. and they produce more wealth than they consume. The one argument.