Speech #680107872

I had opposed it strongly every time the matter came up. and when I signed the report I wrote on it as follows. "I do not agree to the insertion of the proviso at the end of subdivision (c) of section 13." This section contains the proviso regarding the Japanese which the President Insisted should be voted upon. I do not want the President to veto the bill. and I was afraid he might if we were not given a chance to vote directly on the question. and thereby destroy any hope of this legislation this session. I want immigration legislation. I believe it more Important than anything before the Congress. Congress will be in session only a few days more. and if the President were to veto the bill at this time I am afraid we would not get the legislation through this session. For that reason I did not want to take any chances on it. I wanted to get a full vote on it in the Senate. I am convinced the proposition suggested by the President would be voted down by both Houses. and when this was done we would pass the measure. then we would have an immigration bill satisfactory to both Houses and to the country and which the President would not havethe same reason for vetoing. For that reason I signed the conference report with a dissenting report relative to the Japanese proviso in the bill which the PLresident recommended and the conferees inserted over my protest. The Senator from Pennsylvania . the chairman of the conferees.