Speech #660273284

The literacy test has done something. but it fails to meet our ideals. For instance. the other day. while our committee was visiting Ellis Island a citizen of this country came from California. He had a ranch there and was going to marry a CzechoSlovak at Ellis Island. He met his bride. But he was not permitted to marry the young lady. because she could not pass the literacy test. If he had only known. he probably could have gone 3 miles from the United States and married there and thus made her an American citizen. They refused to permit that young lady to enter the United States. Another case that came up while there is of a woman who came here in 1908. A couple of months ago she left to bury her mother. and when she applied for readmission at Ellis Island she was excluded because she could not pass the literacy test. And yet she was here before the literacy test was passed. She was here. my friends. when we voted that she could be a citizen of this country. But she was excluded.