Speech #680081376

Mr. Speaker. probably no questin before the American Congress Is so important: to the future welfare of this Nation as the question of the proper control and selection of immigration. The Committee on Immigration. of which I have the honor to be a member. in preparing the present measure. II. ]IL 7995. did not approach the question In a spirit of malice. bigotry. or desire to injure the sons and daughters of any race in the world. But it did approach the question filled with the desire to protect America and. so far as it was able. to see to it that the basis of free government. which is the character of the Individual citizens of this country. should not be impaired by the kind of immigration to be recelved. The testimony before the committee from most wellInformed and responsible sources was overwhelming that people by the millions in the various parts of Europe and Asia Minor are desirous of moving to this country in order to escape from the hard conditions under which they now live. It is well within the facts to say that were it not for our present qluota law there would be the greatest exodus of mankind from various parts of Europe that has ever occurred In history. Does that mean anything with respect to the future welfare of this country? Let us reflect that this country was founded by immigrants who were pioneers. who left the homeland ready to face the dangers and endure the sacrifices incident to residence in the New World with the hope of building there a great nation dedicated to liberty and freedom. They were the strong of their communities. the daring. the enterprising. They were attracted to come to these shores because this new land existed as a challenge to their enterprise. initiative. and daring. The thing that is driving the great multitude to want to come to our shores it the present time is the very reverse of that which brought the old immigration here. To come to America. to hundreds of thousands of these people. means a way of escape from hard conditions into a land that is. in their mind. rich with easy reward. It Is well to stop and think as to whether we can. a score or a hundred years from now. safely base our national life on this great influx of people attracted to us because of these considerations. We were. therefore. driven to the conclusion that immigration into this country must be drastically restricted. We were reenforced In this opinion by looking about us and seeing beyond argument that most of this new immigration takes up Its residence in clusters and groups in our great cities where Old World languages and manners and customs flourish to a degree that is not consonant with the welfare of America. It is our considered opinion that drastic restrictions must be imposed until social absorption of these foreignminded people. has caught up with those who are already here. We therefore determined to recommend the cutting of the number of those permitted to come practically In half. Then arose for discussion the basis upon which to fix the census year for the computation of the quota. It has been argued on this floor that the selection of the census of 1890 is deliberately discriminatory against the nations of southern and eastern Europe. Immigration is purely a domestic problem of this country. and If it were determined that for the benlefit of this country it were necessary to discriminate. I maintain that this country has a perfect right to make the discrimination. But I further maintain that if the question is looked at from the standpoint of the people of America. there Is no discrimination against southern and eastern Europe In the selection of 1890 as the quota base. TIe committee found upon research that the number of people now Incorporated In our white population finding their origin in southern and eastern Europe is 14 and a fraction per cent of the total white population. It found further that the selection of the census of 1890 as the quota base would permit about 15 and a fraction per cent of the quota immigrants to come from the same countries of southern and eastern Europe. The selection of 1910 as the quota basis permits about 46 per cent of quota Immigrants to come from the nations of southern and eastern Europe. The census of 1910. therefore. is plainly discriminatory with respect to the body of the population already here. The use of the census of 1890 stabilizes the racial blood of this country approximately as it now stands. If we believe the progress and success of America as a nation Is not wholly attributable to its natural resources. but is also attributable to the kind of people who have resided here and helped to build this country and its Government. and which consists now of only ahout 14 per cent from southern and eastern Europe. it seems to me that patriotic Americans will hesitate before they will permit a law to remain which allows the injection into the body populace of 46 per cent from those countries which did not begin to send Immigrants here until late in the history of this country. and who had little part in laying the foundation of this Nation. and which if continued will soon change the entire racial character of this country. These considerations are not founded on malice or dislike or a desire to injure. but are founded wholly upon a patriotic purpose to insure the safety of our own Nation. It may be argued by some that this to an extent is a selfish purpose. and that our considerations ought to extend to all men throughout the world. I agree with this purpose to a great extent. but I believe that the United States can best help the world by keeping Its foundations safe. by continuing to he as It has been In the past. the home of liberty. the home of selfgovernment under the law. and of equal opportunity. and a country where the scale of living is maintained at a high level. and that if we do anything to lower that level we are in the long run injuring all the people in all the world. In short. we can best help the world at large as well as ourselves by keeping America American. The Committee on Immigration had another Important purpose in mind In drafting this legislation. Briefly stated. It is this: That immigrants. whencever they come. should be treated as human beings and that. so far as possible. the heartbreaking disappointments connected with long trips from distant homes to Ellis Island. only to be turned back because of quota or other restrictions. should be done away with forever. and that the spectacle of racing steamships to reach an imaginary line in New York Harbor at midnight of certain days should become a thing of the past. To that end a system of immigratiod certificates has been devised whereby the Intending immigrant in his homeland goes to the American consulate and announces his intention of coming to this country to settle. He is then subjected to a questionnaire. a process of investigation is instituted. and if. so far as can he learned from the questionnaire or otherwise. he is found to be suitable under our laws and found to be within the quota number. he is granted an immigration certificate which is nontraisferable. By receiving this immigration certificate lie knows absolutely that he will not be turned back upon arrival solely on the ground that the quota is exhausted. In t...ter words. he knows that there is a place for hint in the quota number of this country. And le knows that the only reason for which lie may be turned back will be that he is found upon final examination to be unsuitable from the standpoint of health or anarchistic belief. or pauperism. or such reasons that exist in the permanent immigration laws of this country. every item of which has been called to his attention in the questionnaire. After he receives this immigration certificate he has two months in which to make his preparations and take ship for the United States. There will be no further need for the racing of ships because every person on board who is an intending immigrant and who holds a valid immigration certificate will be known as a person who will be permitted to enter so far as quota is concerned when he arrives. Further than that. the operation of the law will have the effect of spreading the immigration evenly throughout tile year and not. as at the present time. piling up the immigrants by thousands at the beginning of the fiscal year or on the first two or three days of each calendar month. thus swamping the immigration staff at the port of entry and resulting in poor and cursory examinations. The operation of the present law which results in thus swamping the immigration inspectors at the port of arrival at the beginning of July in each fiscal year and on the first few days of each succeeding month has been such as to render the physical and mental examinations at the ports almost a farce. Thus during the beginning of the present fiscal year it was possible to assign for examination. for part of the time. only one minute to an immigrant. Everyone must know that so short a period of time as this can not result in the thorough examination that the interests of this country require should be given to those who intend to cast in their lot amongst us. The present measure providing that only 10 per cent of the number of certificates allotted to any country may be issued in any one month and the removal of all incentive to try to arrive on the first day of the month in the fear that some one else may exhaust the quota will operate to spread the arrival of immigrants evenly throughout the fiscal year and thus give the immigration authorities a fair clance to administer the law with respect to mental. physical. and educational qualifications. All must agree that this result. if it can be attained. is one devoutly to be wished for. Another humanitarian feature which the committee hopes and believes will be brought about by the operation of the pending measure is the reuniting of the immigrants immediate family. Not only do we believe that this will result in happiness and contentment to the late immigrants within our midst but we believe also that it is a necessary step on account of the highest moral considerations. It is provided in this measure that as soon as the immigrant has demonstrated his desire to become permanently a part of this Nation by assuming citizenship therein that lie may send for his wife. his minor unmarried children under the age of 18 years. and his father and mother over 55. and that they may enter and join him without being counted in the quota. Thus the immigrant to this country may look forward not only to citizenship but to the unhampered privilege of having his fireside relatives come to join him in the new home. The present law. while it permits more people to come. does not result. in its operation. in keeping the families of immigrantsunited. This is not entirely the fault of our law but is traceable also to the activity of certain foreign countries. particularly in southern Europe. Before these people can leave their own land they must obtain a passport from their own government.