Speech #670005073

There is not a nan serving here who does not desire to do the just thing by the men who served under our countrys flag. And that patriotic desire on the part of the lnemnbersbip of the House is not confined to the men who served in the war that has just endedand this amendment is limited to those menbut that desire goes out to all the men of the Civil War. of the SpanishAmerican War. and of the World War alike. But why is it that when we have a measure like this immigration measure some one needs to throw in an amendnet which entirely overcomes the purpose of the measure. in order to seeni to favor those who have served in the war? I am willing to go to any length in providing proper legislation to the men who served in the war. but. my friends. four and onehalf millions of men served in the World War. and we have a greater duty to those nren who served in that war than merely providing an amendment wlich on its face gives them some preference over. other people. We have a duty to those men to provide the proper reconstruction legislation that will place this great country of ours upon a proper footi!ig and take care of them and their families. and this measure helps in making that provision. We have men who served the Government in the late war who are out of employment. Now. is it more important that we shall. perchance. favor some one who served in the war by letting in a fianede or relative from abroad than it is that we should provide the necessary restrictive immigration legislation. so that the men who served in the war may be able to get employment and so that bread lines may be shortened and prosperity may abound in this land? We do not want to get shortsighted in this legislation. It occurs to me that many of the arguments that have been made against this bill have been shortsighted.