Speech #680075883

That is a geographical question. and I wish the Senator from Maryland would consult my very able colleague. the Senator from Pennsylvania . who has looked especially Into this question of geography. I should like to say one thing now before I sit down. The present law is the best quota law that has ever been devised. It has accomplished its object. Commissioner General Husband in his report states that the law has entirely fulfilled its purpose and that he knows of no law that could be devised which would accomplish the purpose of Immigration restriction so well as does the preselit quota law. Taking the percentage of 3 per cent of nationals of each racial group who were living here at the time the law was passed. when we have that 3 per cent we have a certain number. When we have 2 per cent we have a certain number. and when we have 1 per cent we. of course. have a less number than that. If it be desired virtually to suspend Immigration. make the quota onetenth of 1 per cent. and If It be desired to introduce Into our immigration policies in regard to Europe the questioii of racial discrIminationand I thought America was national and not racialIf it be desired to admit only 100 immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. the machinery is here to accomplish that purpose. All we have to do if we desire to discriminate is to say we will admit 5 per cent from northern and western Europe and 1 per cent from southern and eastern Europe. Then we should be coming out in the open. then we should be showing our hand. then we should be telling the world that America has now adopted an Immigration policy based. so far as Europe is concerned. upon the exclusion of certain races. We have. however. always based Immigration from Europe upon selection. selection at the port of entry. Now we propose in the pending bill to have selection at the source. Then. when we have a quota. we have a numerical reduction to any given amount of the number selected. but if we are going back to the census of 1890 let us go back with an open hand. If we are going to base it on naturalization. do it with an open hand. If we are going to base It upon socalled racial stocks. do It with an open hand. We have the machinery now.