Speech #640218050

Mr. President. this amendment applies to the Immigration Service a rule whichfor a long time has been in force in the War Department. which limits the time that an officer of the service shall remain in the bureau here in Washington City. It fixes a period of four years. with permission to reappoint him. for another term of four years. and then requires that he shall go into the field. where he will have an opportunity to become acquainted with the practical things relating to the exclusion of immigrants from this country. On the 29th of July last I submitted to the Senate considerable data in regard to the inefficiency of the Immigration Service along the northwest borders of the United States. particularly in relation to the illicit entry into this country of Chinese. Those who were familiar with the situation there attributed the failure to enforce the immigration laws against the unauthorized entry of Chinamen to the overburdening of the service with expensive officials in the bureau at Washington City and the Inadequacy of the number of employees. or of the ability of the employees in the field whose duty it was to enforce the laws along the border. I can see no objection to a rule which would provide for a rotation in the positions of the service without in any way infringing upon the principles of the civilservice regulations.