Speech #640042971

No changes have taken place since which would compel me to change my view on this bill. and I am opposed to it now. If anything. conditions have arisen which. to my mind. present less reason for the enactment of this legislation. The war in Europe has decreased immigration to such a great extent that certainly no reason exists for passing this bill now. Mr. Chairman. I opposed a similar bill in the last Congress for the reason that. it contained a provision for the exclusion of all aliens over 16 years of age who could notread some hnguage. The saeni provision which caused me to oppose that bill in the last Congress appears in this bill. beginning at the top of page S. I ain in favor of keeping out undesirable immigrants. I am in favor of keeping out the criminal. the insnise. and mentally defective. the diseased and morally unfit. the pauper. and those incapable of earning a living. but 1 can not support a provision in a bill which would keel) out of this country a sane. healthy. moral. honest. and upright man for the reason that he can not read a few lines of some language. Section 2 of the present immigration law. the law now on our statute books. provides as follows: SEC. 2. That the following classes of aliens shall be excluded from admission into the United States: All idiots. imbeciles. feeblenminded persons. epileptics. insane persons. and persons who have been insane within five years previous. persons who have had two or more attacks of insanity at any time previously. paupers. persons likely to become a public charge. professional beggars. persons afflicted with tuberculosis or with a loathsome or. dangerous contagious disease. persons not comprehended within any of the foregoing excluded classes who are found to be and are certified by the examining surgeon as being mentally or physically defective. such mental or physical defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such alien to earn a living. persons who have been convicted of or admit having committed a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude polyganrists. or persons who admit their belief 7n the practice of polygamy. anarchists. or persons who believe in or advocate the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of he United States. or of all government. or of all forms of law. or the assassination of public officials. prostitutes. or women or girls coming into the United States for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose. persons who are supported by or receive in whole or in part the proceeds of prostitution . persons who procure or attempt to bring in prostitutes or women or girls for the purpose of prostitution or for any other Immoral purpose persons hereinafter called contract ]aborers who have been induced or solicited to migrate to this country by offers or *promises of employment or In consequence of agreements. oral. written or printed. expresscd or Implied. to perfornm labor in this country of any kind. skilled or unskilled. those who have been. within one year from the date of application for admission to the United States. deported as having been Induced or solicited to migrate as above described . any person whose ticket or passage is paid for with the money of another. or who is assisted by others to come. unless it is affirmatively and satisfactorily shown that such person does not belong to one of the foregoing excluded classes and that said ticket or passage was not paid for by any corporation. association. society. municipality. or foreign Government. either directly or indirectly . all children under 16 years of age unaccompanied by one or both of their parents. at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor or under such regulations as he may from time to time prescribe: Proridcd. That nothing An this act shall exclude. Ifotherwise admissible. persons convicted of an offense purely political. not involving moral turpitude: Provided further. That the provisions of this section relating to the payments for ilckets or passage by any corporation. association. society. municipality. or foregn Goverunient shall not apply to the tickets or passage of aliens In immediate and continuous transit through the United States to foreign cohtiguous territory: Arid provided further. That skilled labor may be imported if lahor of like kind unenployed can not be- found in this country: And provided frther. That the Irovislons of this law applicable to contract labor shall not be held to exclude lprofessional actors. artists. lecturers. singers. ministers of any religious denomination. professors for colleges or seminaries. persons belonging to any recognized learned profession. or persons employed strictly as personal or domestic servants. . Is there any doubt in the mind of any mail that section 2 of the present law. if properly enforced. will not ke6p Out tIre undesirable immigrant? The enforcement of this section of the law will keep out all immigrants we do not want. " Mr. Chairman. the literacy test provided in this bill is to my mind so silly. so unreasonable. so unjust. and so repugnant to American traditions that I cal not support a bill that provides such a test. Are we to say that illiteracy is a crime or a badge of crime? Never anywhere. except here. have I heard it argued that inability to read some lauguage is a sign of ignorance. bad character. or bad morals.