Speech #690168264

Robe Carl White. on .the subject. and have received from him a reply. and under permission to extend these remarks I am now inserting in the RECORD this correspondence. The letter of Mr. White not only makes it clear that no such agreement or arrangement has been entered Into. but it sets forth the whole history of Mexican immigration for more than a decade past. I believe that all those who are interested in maintaining the Integrity of American citizenship should read this correspondence. I think that it should be made the basis of additional legislation on this subject. I can see no reason why Mexicans should be favored over Europeans in the matter of Immigration. I think that the 2 per cent quota might well be applied to Mexico as well as it is applied to all the nationalities of Europe. If it is now. or it should become. true that there is a shortage of labor in the United States. no matter in what part of the United States it may be. would it not be better from the standpoint of American citizenship to supply such shortages from those European stocks upon which the population of America is based? I have no hesitation in saying that if we need additional immigrants. we should derive them from Europe rather than from Mexico. I say this in no intended disparagement of the Mexicans as Mexicans. but I base my statement on the fact that they are in the very nature of things less assimilable into our population and institutions than an equal number of Europeans. At least we should not give the Mexicans the preference over our own kith and kin on the other side of the Atlantic. We should not limit Europeans to quotas of 2 per cent and give almost unlimited quotas to the Mexicans. or at least limited only by the literacy tests which are more or less superficial. perfunctory. and useless. There could be no charge of inconsistency. and certainly not of illtreatment. if we should under our immigration laws place the Mexicans on the same basis as we do the nationals of Europe. I hope that the Committee on Immigration will see fit to frame and report out a bill covering this subject. I am sure that the Congress would be in a mood to pass it and that the people of the United States would indorse our action.