Speech #660057100

When we come to that question. the treaty itself says that the Monroe doctrine is validated and is excepted fromn the jurisdiction of the league. Gentlemen say. "But in saying you except the Monroe doctrine you misdescribe it." I (1o not care whether we do or not. ve have named it. and everybody knows what is meant by it. Then the Senator very carefully. very dexterously. with a velvet glove in an iron hand. referred to the question of immigration. He attempts to frighten us about our rights in prohibiting immigrants from coming into the United States. If there is a question well settled in international law. it is that a nation has the right to say who shall be welcome in its house. just as I have the right to say who shall be a guest in my house. But suppose that were not true. suppose that you can imagine half of the world combining against the United States to make us admit Japanese immigrants. I started to say negro immigrants from the West Indies. but we are already admitting them by our own will and power. and they are infinitely less desirable citizens than the Japanese. but that is because you boys up North do not want to lose any votes when you go before the negroes in your States. But suppose that combination to make us admit Japanese were sought. how many nations could you get to combine against us? Could you get Great Britain? Why. if she undertook to force Japanese immnigration upon Canada. or Chinese or Japanese immigration upon Australia. or either one or the other upon South Africa or New Zealand tomorrow. she would break up the British Empire by internal revolt. Do you imagine any of the great wise statesmen of Great Britain. who. whatever else they nave been in the past. have never been fools. do not know that? Will any Senator tell me that Canada is less opposed to Japanese immigration than we are? Will any Senator tell me that Australia is not three times as much opposed to all sorts of oriental immigration as we are? Will any Senator deny the fact that South Africa denied the right even of her " fellow subjects" of British East India to enter into her borders. and that Great Britain from London had to respect her wish? Then the Senator says in high language that le "will not vote for anything that leaves to foreign nations the question of what men or what goods shall come into the United States." Who wants to do that?