Speech #680079858

Mr. Chairman. In dealing with the immigration question we have touched upon one of the most important problems affecting the Nation. Congress has often hesitated to legislate on this very perplexing question. But why should Congress ever need to hesitate to take up a problem that directly concerns the American people? Surely the immigration question is as much an American problem as any other matter that has as yet received the deliberation of this body. and no one can fairly challenge our right to deal with it and In such manner as we may choose. We are legislating for our people. and whatever our Immigration policy may mean to any foreign power our prime concern must at all times be time interest and welfare of the American people. One thing is certain. and that is that America will. for the present at least. continue its policy of restriction. I am not going to indulge in any lengthy discussion of our general immigration policy. We now have a definite proposition before us In the form of the Johnson bill. I shall not even attempt to discuss all the merits or demerits of the provisions of this bill. We may differ as to what the quota ought to be. but whatever our exclusion policy may be. once an immigration bill is passed and becomes the law of the land. I am sure that we are .111 agreed that the policy therein expressed should be able to be enforced to its full intent and purpose. Thus any bill that proposes to restrict the Influx of immigrants must make ample provision to see that that policy will be carried out. and only those permitted under the law shall be admitted. and that no gaps be left open through which thousands of aliens will be able to seep into this country. The proposed Johnson immigration bill. as it is now constructed. is open to grave dangers that may defeat the entire policy of restriction. I make special reference to those provisions dealing with the question of alien seamen landing in American ports. Under the guise of seamen. thousands of aliens have landed in American ports and have helped to swell the ranks of our foreign population. It is mostly the worst type of undesirables who have used this means left open to them by our immigration laws. Smuggling immigrants into this country in this way is becoming a very lucrative business for many shipowners. Perhaps you will be able to appreciate the importance of this question when you consider the fact that in 1922. 973.804 alien seamen landed in American ports. In 1923. the number of alien seamen that landed here increased to. 1.018.000. If but 10 per cent of these alien seamen landing in American ports annually came into this country in violation of the law. the ranks of our foreign population would be increased by 101.800 of the most undesirable class of people. while under the entire quota. as proposed by the Johnson bill. only 169.083 men and women of the best class of our European immigrants would be permitted to enter. Think. gentlemen. what this means to our immigration pollcyl.018.000 alien seamen landing in American ports annually and unquestioiably thousands upon thousands of these. by the aid of unscrupulous steamuship companies. are making their way into this coumtry in this way. This is a serious situation and must be remedied. Sections 18 and 19 of the proposed bill are but feeble attempts to solve this problem. Not only will these provisions. in my humble judgment. fail to check illegal immigration of this kind but they are pregnant with dangers to the seamens act. which you know was designed to protect bona fide seamen. Section 18 of the proposed bill reads as follows: No alien seaman excluded from admission into the United States under the immigration laws and employed on board any vessel arriving in the United States from any place outside thereof shall be permitted to land in the United States. except temporarily for medical treatment or pursuant to such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe for the ultimate departure. removal. or deportation of such alien from the United States. Now. gentlemen. you will note that the very language used Is negative and of no effect. It proposes to leave the question whether or not an alien seaman will be permitted to land entirely at the discretion of the Secretary.