Speech #660273355

Chairman and gentlemen of the House. during. the 10 years immediately preceding the outbreak of the European war the average number of foreigners coming to this country annually amounted to more than 1.000.000. Since the war. due to lack of transportation facilities. the average has not been so great. but we are now told that an average of from three to five thousand. foreigners land daily in New York for admission to the United States. and this represents only about 80 per cent of the foreigners coming into this country through all places of- entry. During the years. of the immediate futurethe number of- immigrants to this country will be limited only by the carrying capacity of the ships available for passage. rn. fact. we are reliably informed that 2.000.000 Germans- are now anxious to get immediate passage to the United. States. and it is said that the entire population of Poland. estimated at 3.000.000 persons. would take passage to the United States today if the opportunity were afforded. Italy has sent large numbers of her population to this country during recent months and no doubt will send large numbers in the near future unless some action is taken by the United States. In fact. due to the remarkably unselfish and effective part that the United States took in the recent World War. our country has become the favored nation of the world. and the unfortunate. dissatisfied. or adventurous people of every nation on earth are now turning to this country. and unless this Congress takes some action staying the mighty tide of immigration that is flowing in our direction we are going to find millions of foreiguers landing in this country as fast as it is- possible for them to get here. An inspection of the character and kind of immigrants coming to this. country at this time convinces us that the great per cent of them are nonproducing and nonsupporting men and women. In fact. it is- estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of those reaching our shores in recent months. have been consumers only. and without any visible means of support. and it goes: without saying that- such a mass of population as this. will add to the number of unemployed in our country. already variously estimated at from 1.000.000 to 2.000.000 men. and wili further- tax the capacity of the producers of this country. Not only are a large majority of the immigrants nonsupport ing. but from past experience we know that a large per cent ofthem. at least. are not in sympathy with America and American institutions. and a good majority make up the criminal class that is- causing so much concern throughout the entire UnitedStates. Mr. William Shadduck. foreman of Kings County grand jury.