Speech #680084491

President. I am loath to enter upon a discussion of the amendment which I propose to introduce to the pending bill before it is reached in the regular order. but the Senator from Pennsylvania advises me that. in his opinion. it wiil take only a very short time to finish the committee amendments and that my amendment will then be reached. I concede that there is hardly any question of greater importance to the American people at this time than the question. of a proper control of immigration. I recognize that the conditions of today more than at any time in our history call for drastic restrictive legislation upon the subject. Personally I have always been in favor of restrictive legislation. I have never thought at any time that we ought to throw our doors wide open to immigration from the Old World. I have supported every measure that has been introduced looking to the restriction of immigration. because I thought the rights of the American who has built the Nation and made it what it is ought to be carefully guarded. Early in my service in this body I Introduced to the immigration bill then pending in the Senate an amendment imposing an educational qualification upon immigrants into this country. That amendment. with certain suggestions made by the distinguished senior Senator from Massachusetts which I accepted. was adopted. and it is now. with practically little change. if any. what is known as the literacy test in our immigration plan. I am not only in favor of restrictive immigration. I am not only In favor of the restrictions that we have heretofore imposed. but I am in favor of further radical restriction. I voted for the 3 per cent limitation in the present law. I shall vote for the 2 per cent limitation proposed by the committee to the pending bill. I am in favor of selective immigration. but I want the selection based upon something else and in addition to the requirement that the immigrant shall be able to read and write in some language. that the immigrant is an ablebodied man. that he is not a criminal. and is a man of good character. Those are very necessary restrictions. they ought to beapplied in the process of selection. but I want the selective principle carried further than the present law would carry it. I want it based upon something in addition to the test of admissibility. I want it to go to the point of the kind and character of Immigration we need and want to come to this country. A selective principle which disregards the economic needs and the economic wants and requirements of the present situation will be wholly inadequate to accomplish the purpose that I desire should be accomplished through the principle of selective immigration. Mr. President. the amendment which I shall offer Is direeted. partially. at least. to the accomplishment of this purpose. I want to read that amendment as I have now redrafted it and as I shall submit it. in order that the Senate may fully understand it before I begin the arguments which. to my mind. support it and prove it to be of the utmost importance in connection with our present economic situation. especially so far as that economic situation concerns the vital interest of agriculture in this country. The amendment which I propose is to be Inserted at the end of section 4. on page 6. after line 4. That section relates to the preference to be given immigrants upon the ground of the relationship to foreign citizens who are already in America. That is the only preference specifically given in the bill as reported by the committee. It may. therefore. if my amendment shall be adopted. be described as the first preference. My amendment deals with other preferences. and is. in words and terms. as follows: (c) In the Issuance of immigration vis6 certificateS preference shall be given by the consuls to persons who give satisfactory evidence that they are skilled In agronomy. forestry. horticulture. or animal husbandry. and who are going to the United States to enter into agriculture. and to experienced farm laborers who are going to some agricultural district to engage in farming. (d) Whenever the legislature or the governor of a State makes a request of the Secretary of Labor for skilled farm laborers or for skilled farmers who are expert In agronomy. forestry. horticulture. or animal husbandry. of any nationality. for the purpose of filling a specific need In that State. the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Agriculture may make a review of the situation. and upon their approval. in the issuance of Immigration vis6 certificates preference shall next be given by the consuls to skilled farmers and experienced farm laborers. subject to such regulations as will insure that they go to the specified locations. The preference provided In (c) and (d) of this section shall not in the case of any one country exceed 50 per cent of tha quota allotted to such country. So it appears upon the face of the amendment that the selection is to be made from the quota. and that tie selection shall not exceed 50 per cent of the immigrants allotted to any one country. I propose. Mr.