Speech #640067303

I wish there was time to read to the committee the individual cases -of Armenians killed. as they have been in the last year and a half in that holocaust over there. where tens and hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands have been killed. and we here in the American Congress. -in this great. broad. rich. largely undeveloped country purpose to reverse the policy under which our own parents and grandparents and ancestors came. My French Huguenot ancestors fled from persecution -and landed on our shores in tlhis country. and yet I am asked to keep out the Armenian of today. the ancestors of those to come tomorrow. anpd who would come in precisely the same condition that my ancestors came. I am not only going to -vote to strike out the literacy test. lint because the literacy test is in It I am going to vote against the -bill. I am going to vote against it because while .there are good things in it. the superlative iniquity of this specious test. in my judgment. is enough to cause any man who -values the American past. who values the American present. and who hopes ia all its breadth and Vision. in all its beauty of idealism. that the present may extend into Anericas future. -who objects to iarring oar history of toleration by tihis narrowminded projectany man who holds these views oughtto vote first to strike out the literacy tst. and. second. if the test is -not stricken out. �o vote against -the bill.