Speech #660273199

Chairman. for several days I have been striving to ascertain the source of the misinformation that has been used in arguments in behalf of this measure. and not until today have I been able to find that they are based principally upon an article written a few days before the election by Frederick Boyd Stevenson. It purports to be an interview with Commissioner Wallis. who. the writer states. has revolutionized Ellis Island. It undoutbedly is from this article that the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization and the other members of the committee who are advocating this bill secured their inspiration and information. I do not desire to make any charges or even insinuations as to why the interview was given or printed two days before the election. but I do charge that the gentlemen in using some of the guess figures of the contemplated or expected immigration and some paragraphs bearing on the class of immigrants were unfair not only to this House and the country but also to the conmissioner. I make this statement because they have only used the most prejudicial statements and figures. ignoring completely whatever may have been stated in explanation. The writer of the article states that of the 430.000 immigrants. 1.73.000 have no occupation. but he also states that 182.000 were women and children. Does he expect that all the women and children should have an occupation? He also lays great stress on the point that among these 430.000 immigrants an old woman 70 years of age came to a son. who had a wife and five children. and that should the son die. the five children. who no doubt were born in this country. and the wife and mother would become dependent upon charity.. He does not know whether the son had property of his own. or whether the children may be of an age to earn their own living. In response to that statement I can not help calling attention to the fact that neither the commissioner nor the writer can point out many - cases of those who become charges or dependent upon charity. and he will not find a single one of the Jewish race in a public charitable institution.