Speech #670043040

Mr. Speaker. this House joint resolution No. 153 is offered in an effort to correct a situation in connection with the 3 per cent quota law. which arose owing to the fact that a portion of the present month of June was added to the oneyear suspension bill. At the time the bill was passed I think the majority of the members of the Immigration Committee knew there would be some confusion in connection with the June arrivals. But it was not feasible to propose in the bill then any form of flexibility. for the reason that whatever margin we proposed would serve only to invite further crowding. June was not even given the benefit of a 20 per cent maximum which the other months have. The House will remember that when a bill from the House committee was proposed for the temporary restriction of immigration 60 days were allowed in which to clear the seas of ships which might be carrying immigrants. We accepted the Senate bill which came to us after some delay. so that when both Houses had finally passed the bill and it had become a law by the signature of the President. the time remaining until the 1st of July was very short. Tile bill as finally passed allowed but 15 days in which the seas might be cleared and in which the quotas of immigrants from various countries determined. In fact. the" 3 per cent bill became a law on May 19. It provided that the part of it which set up the machinery should be effective at once. and it was. part of the duties of the three Secretaries named in the bill to establish and promulgate the quotas of aliens admissible from various countries.