Speech #670230163

Their withdrawal may be demanded and enfOrced by. such power- atany time. The scope of the actii ties of. consuls. ministers. and ambas-" sadbrs is fixed or limited by usage andagreement and can be extended only by such. consent: The selection- of wouldbe immi grants is not. one of the usual functions performed by consuls or diplomatic representatives. The treaties underwhich such representatives are maintained do notauthorize- the- establishment or maintenance of immigratbn stations. of any kind. nor the performance of any of their functions. on foreign -soil Neither. does diplomatic usage sanction.it: These officers and the performance of these f inctibns. within. the territory of a foreign sovereignty is not. possible unless. such countries would give their consent. The motives which prompt them to consent to the establishment: andmaintenance of consulates and embassies is mutual commercial and. diplomatic interest. But this mutuality. of interest does not exiStas to immigration. Tapan..China. .England. Spaii. Italy. Poland. rnd other Old World. countries usually want a place to which they can send their surplus or undesirable population. Our immigration laws are designed tb prevent their unloading this surplus and burdensome population on us. We want. to prevent the very thing they. want to do. Instead of mutuality of interest there isconflict. Generally speaking..they will not go beyond tile limits ofdiplomatic usage to agree with us upon ourestablishment upon their soil of. agencies by which we can accomplishthat whichitistheir desire to prevent. This is not- merely natural and logical .. it is actual. The Immigration COmmission created by the act of Congress of February. 20. 1907. consisting of nine members. three ofwhom were appointed by PresidentRoosevelt...three by the Vice President. andthree by. the Speaker ofthe House of Representatives. were charged with the duty of making a fill investigation of the whole subjectofimmigration. It wasgiven fullauthority and provided ample means to travel either in the United States or in any foreign country and otherwise to. carry on its investigation: Its membership consisted of such men. as Senator Dillingham. Senator Lodge..