Speech #640068085

I have received intimations. friom gentlemen on the floor that there- is no lawyer here. who is making any such complaint. I do want. to. speed up the bill. and one- of the- reasonswhy I want to. speed up the bill is the fact that the whole country- wants it enacted into law. And. among others r want to. call: the gentlemans prayerful attention to an- editorial: in the- gentlemans-. own home city. paper.. the Philadelphia Inquirer. a few days. ago in which is echoed the .proposition that there ought to bea change in regard to unlimited. immigration into. this country. It is. thesel editorial! de.nands. ofL representative- newspapers. and. urgent petitions. of the- people: that make me.. want! to: speed: up the passage. of the bill.. and I. want. to speed. it: up: also. in tie: interestt of economy of- the: time- of- the House. and. therefore I- will. not: consume my five minutes but- ask.for: a vote. Ii will not read: the Phil adel phia. editorial of a! few days ago. but will. insert -it. in. the REcoxn- asa part ofimyremarks It. is as:folloNws:: Amongthe.-strongcst supporters of the lite acy4est bill whilchs now before the House.Committee on immigrationare American- workingmen. who complain. that existing.: conditions. subject: them. to: unfair competi! tion.. Thoy contend* that only.- by limiting. immigration can: high stand. ards- of living and good wages- be- maintained. for.- the: workers of: the Unitedi States:. Representative BURNETR says that. out. of. 2.500j000 foreigners. only 35.Oo.0. were. attempting. to. learn- the English language. 9 16.. It is only too true. as was asserted at thehearing. that many of these immigrants work cheaply. live meanly. and bring about situations that can not be tolerated by American workingmen. In view of all this. it is not surprising that the toilers of the country should be primarily interested in the allen laws. and that they are eager for any change in the immigration statutes that will lessen or improve the character of immigrants. During the discussion of this measure one Representative who opposed the literacy test taunted a colleague who favored it by saying that both of their fathers had come Into this country by the open door of immigration. and that the only difference between the sons of the men in question was that one would shut the door of opportunity. while the other would have It remain open. This sounds good. but unfortunately the conditions which prevailed when the two fathers of the present Congressmen came to this country have changedand not for the better. The immigrants that came to this country a generation or two ago were. in the main. desirable. They had both brains and brawn. They settled the great West and their descendants are among the men that have developed the N!ation. They could be distinctly counted among the assets of the country. But many of the presentday immigrants are liabilities. and most are In every way undesirable. and this in spite of the scrutiny which they are compelled to undergo at the hands of the immigration officials. Among reasonable persons there is absolutely no objection to an immigrant as an immigrant. America still remains the land of opportunity. but if it is to remain such there must be a more rigid test of those who some to our shores. We can welcome those who will look uponAmerican citizenship as a privilege and who will be eager to learn our language and our customs. All others should be barred. Perhaps then we will have immigrants who will regard our Government seriously. perhaps then we will not witness the spectacle of thousands of supposed Americans sailing for Europe to fight for their " rulers" on the other side of the Atlantic. It is time to face the problem resolutely. and in doing so it is well to recognize the fact that none have greater interests at stake than the American workingmen.