Speech #670121340

It is a sad situation. I think one of the worst places now is Constantinople. Some people from the United States who went over there this iear. and who until they went there never believed in any restriction policy for the United States. are now writing to me as chairman of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization to the effect that they have changed their minds and that the quicker the United States can shut out still more aliens time better off the United States will be. They have sent me reels of moving pictures showing the conditions in Constantinople. picturing distress to the extreme. They have sent 11e also pictures fromn Danzig showing the cleaningup efforts there. There is an organized effort by all societies and associations. to clean up and take care of those refugees. I have also pictures of a new industry there. known as the "nitting industry." showing rows of women engaged in picking the nits out of each others hair. We are having protests from many countries. ButI have not found that any of these countries are protesting against the Canadian immigration laws. which are identical with ours up to the emergency act which we passed this year. The general immigration act of Canada is as nearly like ours as one can be in another country. It is modeled on ours. but before we passed the 3 per cent restriction they passed an order in council requiring every immigrant to have in his pocket $250. with certain exemptions for families. They are adhering to that. and are turning back great numbers at Canadian ports. while at our ports. in spite of the restrictions. the congestion and trouble at Ellis Island comes largely from the fact that ninetenths of all who arrive here nowadays have less than $5 each in their pockets. in spite of the fact that we are supposed to require those who come here to show some likelihood that they will be able to sustain themselves at least until they reach their final port or the home of their relatives. The fact that they are coming to us with no money whatever except very Small aniounts forces their detention at Ellis Island. congests that place. and is one cause of the sensational stories you read in the newspapers every day. particularly in the newspapers which are anxious to break down all of the laws that the United States has that would restrict immigration. Mr. Speaker.