Speech #680076140

H. R. 561. and H. R. 6540. proposed as the immigration act of 1924. according to the report of a majority of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization1. Meets an emergency. and 2. Offers a constructive policy for the permanent regulation and restriction of immigration. The bill deals with a fundamental question. and upon the wise decision of the immigration question depends the character of the America of the future. the America of your and my children and their childrens children. A great many really irrelevant questions and a number of unnecessary racial considerations have entered into the discussion of the matter. The questions of immediate necessity and of permanent policy have been confused. and before taking up the precise questions presented by I-. R. 7995 it will be well to dispose of certain. often perhaps unconsciously. conflicting points of view. The majority report insists that " the use of the 1890 census is not discriminatory." while the minority report alleges that the pending bill "is confessedly discriminatory In its operations." Joi B. Trevor. of New York. an expert produced on behalf of the majority of the Immigration Committeea majority in number. not of party and a majority regardless of partydiscussing the basis of the pending bill with seeming unfairness. brands the opponents of the 1890 census is " foreign " and "selfish " when he says: Under t cse circumstances anyone free from foreign attachments and devoid of selfish interest must conclude that the adoption of the 1890 census as a basis for the computation of quotas renders substantial justice to our unassimilated population. who by noisy clamor are attempting to coerce our President and Congress in behalf of races and people having no stake or care In the welfare of the United States. I am not at present In favor of the 1890 census. and I am certainly "free from foreign atfachments." Mfy fathers people settled in llymouth. Mass.. before 1638. my mothers first American forbear came out from England in 1705 to be attorney general of Virginia.