Speech #670004504

They found that if they could get through this body and the Senate it was still harder to get by the White House. There hdive been five or six of these measures which have run the gantlet. moving from the people through this House and through the other body. which finally died by action of the President. In 1879 President Hayes vetoed the first Chinese exclusion act. In 1882 President Arthur vetoed an act suspending Chinese immigration for a period of 20 years. President Cleveland vetoed an iumigration act excluding illiterates. President Taft vetoed an immigration bill in 1913 containing a restriction against the admission of illiterates. In 1917 President Wilson vetoed an Ract excluding illiterates. but Congress passed it over his veto. A bill similar to this one went to the White�House at the end of the last session of the Sixtysixth Congress. and died for want of approval by President Wilson. So much for the statement that this bill represents merely a spurt of hysteria. . It is said by gentlemen opposing this and all restrictive legislation that our laws are not being properly administered and enforced because our appropriations are not sufficient. The organization for the enforcement of our immigration laws -is insufficient. It is not properly sustained by Congress. I agree with the gentleman fron New York on that point. and have f supported his action in this House with a view of helping to remedy that situation. There are two courses presentedtwo horns of a dilemma. If we can not get the force needed to inl spect and otherwise handle the present volunme of immigration. we can reduce the ifiigrationi and l)rotect our ports ind hamders with the force that we have. if we are going to handle