Speech #680074204

The proper criticism will be at the doors of the Congress if we fail to act. TlE BILL Mr. Chairman. my own individual view is that. with few exceptions. all immigration ought to be suspended for at least five years or until we can assimilate and Americanize as much LXV358 as possible the alien population already here. or deport those who can not be brought into full sympathy with American institutions. It will take time to do this. and I here want to congratulate those forces and organizations In the various towns and cities throughout tile United States on the coanprehensive plan and activities in connection with the Americanization program. We find the American Legion. the publicschool authorities. the Federal Government. civic organizations. industrial organizations. labor organizations. and many patriotic among the foreign born giving their best efforts to carry this work to completion. But in the face of the incoming tide they are unable to fully cope with the situation. Tile. present measure. being a compromise between those who favor complete suspension and those who favor a restricted program. is tile best we can hope to get at this time. and has my full and undivided support. The contest for restricted Immigration has been a long and intensive battle. In this act we preserved the basic immigration law of 3917. That act was the result of a contest extending over more thal 20 years. There was never any great controversy about Its general provisions. but an almost unending battle raged over the literacy test. that being its really restrictive provision. the one that placed it general limitation upon entry into the United States 11nd which applied to all nations ilike. The inclusion of the literacy test reduced the volume of Imumigratiou to the extent of some 300.000 per year. Today no serious effort Is made to change that provision. But conditions have so changed that. with only the act of 1917 in effect. the annual influx from foreign countries would be 2.000.000 or more if the steamship capacity could be found to transport them. In order to meet this situation the present percentage law was enacted which. omitting the exceptions. permits annually 357.803 from all foreign countries from which immigrants are admissible. This act was opposed because it was more restrictive than the then existing law. in that it limited hamigration to 3 per cent of the nationals of the various European countries as shown by tl% census of 1910. Its chief mierit was that it cut down tile volume and preserved all the existing regulations as to quality. The present hill proposed to reduce Immigration to 2 per cent based oil the census of 1890 plus 100 from each country. That would make admissible each year. outside of the exceptions. 161.184. Its outstanding merit Is that it is further restrictive und adjusts the quotas on a basis that will tend to protect and preserve the dominant strain of our population and at the same time afford a better opportunity to assimilate the great mass of aliens already here. Another important feature of the bill Is that it provides a method by which families may be united and thereby removes many of the hardships and heartaches caused by the former statute. Il other words. an exception is made so that if otherwise admissible the fathers and mothers over 55 years of age. the husbands and wives and the unmarried children under 18 years of age of citizens of the United States may enter without respect to the quota. So that if an immigrant lits come to the United States and becomes it citizen. lie is given tile privilege of bringing over tile members of his immediate family. including his aged father and mother. To permit the immigrant to come here and upon his choice become a citizen and then for any reason forbid the uniting of his family. his wife and minor children or aged parents. would not be in keeping with the dignity. character. and spirit of the United States. For the first time the committee has endeavored to effectively establish what is known as selective. immigration. For some 25years the subject of selective immigrationthat is. the establishing of a system by which the quality. character. and admissibility of the proposed Immigrant could be determined at tile port of einbarkationhas been discussed. After very careful consideration and study the committee has gone just as far as the legal situation will permit. No doubt some foreign countries will object to this and complain that we are establishing a system by which American offlicials may inspect and pass upon tie character and admissibility of their nationals on their own shores. But to this the answer should he that unless such country desires to place itself within the scope of the act of Congress. it has the opportunity to choose not to send any inmmigrants at all. Foreign nations should learn as soon as possible that it is the province and business of the Congress of the United States to regulate immigration into this country and to prescribe all conditions therefor. The preliminary examination overseas is not final. as the authorities at the port of entry are vested with the right of rejection. But many of the hardships experienced under the present system will be avoided. Passports will be issued only to the number of immigrants admissible from each country. All the facts relative to the character and life record of the person desiring to come to America may be known before he embarks for our shores. The American public. native and naturalized. of whatever race or nationality must realize that under present world conditions this problem is vital and critical. We can not admit and assimilate the population of the Old World. We propose to exclude Aslatics. those ineligible to citizenship.