Speech #660247257

The result is inevitable. Few are rejected. It has been demonstrated time and again that many undesirables slip by our immigration authorities and remain with us to plague us and attempt to destroy cur inistitutions. Such a system is wrong and should be changed. Sections 3 and 4 accomplish this. In effect it places the burden upon the immigrantto show that he is a desirable. but it affords him the opportunity of doing that in his own county. where he is knoVn and acquainted. It affords the Government the opportunity of checking up and verifying the prospective immigrants statements in his own country. Section 3 provides for the vis6 of the passport of an innnigrant before lie leaves his own country by our consular officers in that country under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of State. It further provides that this visC may "be refused if the applicant would be dangerous to the public safety. or obviously be liable to exclusion. if allowed to present himself at a port of the United States for admission." Certain gentlemen have objected to this provision. Should we permit our consular officers to grant a vis6 to those who " would be dangerous to public safety"? Should we permit them to grant a vise to those who are " obviously liable to exclusion" under our present immigration laws to come over ald try it anyway? Our immigration laws already provide for the exclusion of this type of immigrant. Do gentlemen want them repealed? Do they want this type and class of immigrant to be increased? It is claimed that our consuls may misjudge a man and deny him a vista. thereby doing him an injustice. To prevent the possibility of this very thing provision is made for an appeal from a refusal to the Secretary of State. In this way. and this way only. can we properly and intelligently inquire into the question of desirability or undesirability of a prospective immigrant. It has been claimed that if section 4 is enacted into law. which requires a passport and its vis6 by our consular officers. that this passport may be denied by the immigrants Govern-. ment. and that thereby some very worthy individual may be prevented from coming to our shores. This may be the case. We must remember. however. that it is our business to legislate for the general welfare of America.