Speech #650318217

I wish to direct the gentlemans attention to the last section of the bill. which exempts from the immigration law the restriction of disability. of imbecility. insanity. or tuberculosis acquired by an alien while serving in cobelligerent forces. For instance. a Britisher who was residing in this country at any time during the war. and. as instanced by the repre.sentative of Great Britain to the United States in his letter to the Secretary of State. joins the Canadian or British forces and is disabled while in the performance of his duty with the forces of his native country. or In connection with the Canadian forces. and becomes afflicted with Insanity. perhaps. or becomes Idiotic. disabling him completely. yet under the provisions of this section you will impose upon the United States. just because at the time before his enlistment he was a resident of the United States. though a British subject. the burden of maintaining him here even thoughi he was performing his full duty as a British subject with either the Canadian or the British forces. Is that an obligation of the United States where a British subject or any alien living in this country joins his native colors and becomes disabled in line of duty. and is this country of ours to be burdened with the obligation of supporting him and the foreign government relieved of its own obligation of supporting him and caring for its own citizen by reason of a disability incurred in line of duty in Its own forces? Does the gentleman intend to place that obligation upon the United States? That certainly is what is done by this provision. and the amendment I propose to offer when I am given that privilege is to overcome that situation.