Speech #640073115

Chairman. not knowing whether I will ever again have the opportunity on the floor of this House to defend the alien who comes to our shores in search of the political and religious freedom which lie is denied in his native country and who comes here with respect and enthusiasm in his heart for the institutions and the fundamental principles upon which our great Nation is founded. I will attempt to briefly set before the House a few of the reasons which have prompted me during the past 10 years to lend a helping hand to the people who have. by coming to America in constantly increasing numbers. made possible the tremendous growth a ad development of these United States. I realize that this bill is about to pass tle House of Representatives. and I realize that in my bitter opposition to the literacy test which it contains I may have spoken harsh words and may have spoken hastily to some of the gentlemen who have urged the passage of this bill. I wish to say that I sincerely hope that none of tile gentlemen have taken offense at my remarks. and I trust that they will appreciate the fact that in time heat of debate we sometimes say things we (1o not mean. The Members of this House who have voted in favor of the various amendments and in favor of the literacy test have done so believing that they were serving the best interests of the people whom they have been sent -here to represent. I have opposed this bill in the same spirit. but I have opposed it with a knowledge of the conditions tinder which the people who come here have lived in their native countries. I have also opposed the bill with a knowledge (if the conditions tinder which they labor in the United States and the progress which they and their children after them have made. I believe that if some of the gentlemen who have urged the passage of this immigration bill had had the same opportunity o" acquainting themselves with these people as I have had they would have voted to strike out any suggestion of a literacy test. The gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Foss] after remaining silent the six daysof debate on this bill has just read into the RECORD a prepared speech in which he states that while the immigrants that came to this country prior to 1882 were desirable immigrants. those who have come to us subsequent to 1882 or during the last twentyfiveodd years are of a class of people who can not be assimilated by this melting pot of all nations. Does lie refer to the sturdy. lawabiding German people? Does he refer to the Bohemian. the Polish. and the Jewish people who come to the United States with the idea of settling in a country where they will be free from the oppression of aristocracy and monarchy.