Speech #690145693

Mr. Speaker. :I have been interested in our immigration and deportation. problems for a long time and have given them a great deal of thought and study. One of our most important problems at this time is the question of deportation of aliens who are illegally in our- country. The question of controlling immigration is not a new propositlon. I shall not take the time to go into this proposition in detail. but history teaches us that as early as 3500 B. C. the Egyptians were confronted with this problem. Every nation has had the same problem and every nation will have this problem until time is no more. America was founded by immigrants and therefore our forefathers were immigrants. They were ofthe substantial kind. strong. sturdy men and women. who built up our frontier and helped to advance civilization to the Pacific coast and make America what she is today. Today we have a large number of aliens who have opinions contrary to the principles and ideals upon which our Government is founded. who do not care .to become Americanized but maintain zealously and jealously their own tongue. their own racial practices. antipathies. prejudices. and hatreds. They came to this country to obtain better living and more material prosperity than they could pjossibly enjoy in their native land. but they have no interest in America or American institutions except the American pay roll. The only immigrants we should take are those that undertand our institutions. and believe in them. those who come to this country because they desire to become American citizens and partake in every possible way of the spirit of our institu tions. those who seek to learn the American language. acquire Anmerican habits. and what is more to the point.. become American in thought. in desire.. and in spirit. and be lawabiding %Otizens. If America is to endure. it must have homogenelty of people.. There must be among those who come to this country a comnon denominator. and that common denominator must be com�plete sympathy with the spirit and purpose of our Government. In 1914 we admitted to our country 1.218.480 immigrants. During the World War our immigration was not so great.. but at the close of the war there were several millions ready to flood our country. Congress passed our first restrictive immigration law in 1921. the act was approved on May 19. 1921. fid only 805.228 immigrants were permitted to enter the United States during the year 1921. In 1922 we admitted only 309.556. mind in 1923 we. admitted. 522.919. In 1924 we had 706j896 immigrants. It was evident that the law should be even more restrictive There were still too many people coming in and the question of employment for our laboring people was very vital. Congress then passed our present immigration law in 1924. and as a result of this law our immigration dropped to 294.314 in 1925. These figures do not include those who have Peen smuggled into our country. President Coolidge. in his message at the opening of the .tixtyeighth Congress. said RECORDIOUSE Juan 7 American institutions rest solely on good citizenship.