Speech #670337435

I wish the passage of such an act might be expedited. Life amid American opportunities Is worth the cost of registration if it Is worth the seeking. and the Nation has the right to know who are citizens in the making or who live among us and share our advantages while seeking to undermine our cherished institutions. This provision will enable us to guard against the abuses in immigration. checking the undesirable whose irregular coming is his first violation of our laws. More. it will facilitate the needed Americanizing of those who mean to enroll as fellow citizens. Before enlarging the immigration quotas we had better provide registration for aliens.. those now here or continually pressing for admission. and establish our examination boards abroad. to make sure of desirables only. By the examination abroad we could end the pathos at our ports. when men and women find our doors closed. after long voyages and wasted savings. because they are unfit for admission. It would be kindlier and safer to tell them before they embark. Our program of admission and treatment of immigrants is very intimately related to the educational policy of the Republic. With illiteracy estimated at from twotenths of 1 per cent to less than 2 per cent in 10 of the foremost nations of Europe. It rivets our attention to a serious problem when we are reminded of a 6 per cent illiteracy in the United States. The figures are based on the test which defines an illiterate as one having no schooling whatever. Remembering the wide freedom of our public schools. with compulsory attendance in many States in the Union. one is convinced that much of our excessive illiteracy comes to us from abroad. and the education of the immigrant becomes a requisite to his Americanization. It must be done if he is fittingly to exercise the duties as well as enjoy the privileges of American citizenship. Here is revealed the special field for Federal cooperation in furthering education.