Speech #670145598

I might add. at a great personal risk to his return to this Congress. adopt a policy that was entirely American. a policy that was thoroughly patriotic and thoroughly consistent with his duty on this great subject. which goes to the hearts blood of the American people. But the gentleman comes from a district where they do not have quite the same problem as those of us who come from the North have. He comes from a district where they do not have much of an immigration problem. He sees clearly with the eye of patriotism. but he sees from a distance. and consequently lie does not see all the details. I think he will concede that those on the Republican side are equally desirous of protecting the blood of the American race. and I think he will also concede that we have a somewhat peculiar difficulty confronting us. and the difficulty comes from the fact that we are dealing with human beings and not with sacks of flour. Very well. We passed this 3 per cent immigration law to put restrictions on immigration to the United States. I believe in the law. but I think we could have something better. and we are going to propose something better. But what has" happened under the 3 per cent immigration law? - The total immigration permissible to the United States during the current fiscal year is ahout 355.000. In the time that has elapsed since the 1st of last Junethere is one extra month. or part of a month. in therein that time we have admitted about 190.000 under the quota law. If we had not had the quota law our immigration in this period would surely have exceeded threequarters of a million. The quota law has amply justified itself as a restrictive measure for the protection of the United States. especially at a time when our citizens. including many who fought for us overseas. are walking the streets in search of work. But it is not exactly the right kind of a restrictive law. and that is shown by the fact that in these seven months we have had to admit a total of some thirteen hundred in excess of the quotas for the different months. and il some cases in excess of tile entire quotas of countries whose quotas have been exhausted. The principle of restriction has been established. We have served notice oil the world that the United States has forever ceased to be a dumping ground. But oil account of the dictates of simple humanity we have found that there are a fewthirteen hundred is an insignificant number. it is only onetenth of 1 per cent of our total immigration in 1908who lave had to be admitted. because to exclude them would violate every principle of humanity. What. for example. are you going to do with 10 Armenian orphans. whose parents were killed and whose homes were destroyed by the Turks. Where are you going to put them if you put themn out of the United States?