Speech #690176119

I understand that. and I am sure that the Senator is sincere in his thought. but I believe he is very wrong. and this is the reason why: The policy of immigration restriction has been in force in America now for five and a half years. Every man who has come to the United States in the last five and a half years came with his eyes wide open. knowing that this country had a quota law. and knowing that if he left his family abroad and came alone. his family might. and very likely would. be stopped by that quota law. because every year of those five years most of the quotas have been far more than overfilled. Far more people applied to come in during every one of those five years than most of the quotas permitted. and every man who would be affected by this amendment. either deliberately made the separation from his family with that knowledge or else he has been here more than the five years which it was necessary for him to be here to entitle him to naturalization. and he has only himself to blame if he has not become naturalized. Here is where the crux of the case comes: In 1921. 1922. and 1923. the Italian quota. for example. was about 42.000 per year. and it was filled. About 126.000 Italians came in under the temporary quota law of 1921. and Ihave taken Italy* only as an illustration. It has been the deliberate and avowed policy of the Italian Government not to give passports to whole families. but to send abroad only the wage earner of the family. That is not my deduction from their conduct. it is their frank. outspoken policy. They want their citizens to go abroad and earn. and they want them to keep their ties with the homeland. They do not want them to be naturalized abroad. and they do not recognize a naturalization proceeding if one takes place. The Italians naturalized here are not recognized as Americans by their Government. They are subject to military duty if they go back. But it is the deliberate policy of their Government to send only the wage earner. and preferably the wage earner who leaves a family behind to bind him to his fatherland.