Speech #680086324

I said with one lascar. They may come in with an entire crew of lascars. but under the amendment if such lascars come ashore provision is made that they shall receive what is called a "landing card." and the ship when it departs must report to the immigration officials how many lascars they take out. and under the law they will be compelled to take out as many as they brought in. The Senator from Pennsylvania has stated that the way to handle this question is by the passage of another law. He may be right. but to me It seems like having one law for the front door and another law for the side door. In the olden days we heard considerable talk about the trouble that was caused by the back and side doors. but most of the trouble was with the side door. That was before the passage of the Volstead Act. There seems to be in this instance a real side door through which the alien seamen can enter the United States without being subject to the immigration laws. mix with the population. and remain here. so far as we know. There is nothing to prevent them doing so unless some one. perhaps by accident. discovers them. I was very deeply impressed with what the Senator from Massachusetts said. that something like this ought to go into the immigration lawat least should go to conferencein order that the side door may be taken care of.