Speech #690242023

Mr. Speaker and Members of the House. the proposition before us is whether or not we shall extend the operation of the nationalorigin scheme incorporated in section 11. which reads as follows: SEc. 11. (b) The annual quota of any nationality for the fiscal year beginning July 1. 1927. and for each year thereafter. shall be a number which bears the same ratio to 150.000 as the number of inhabitants in continental United States in 1920 having that national origin (ascertained as hereinafter provided in this section) bears to the number of inhabitants in continental United States in 1920. but the minimum quota of any nationality shall be 100. It is worth the time to call the attention of the membership of the House how this socalled national origin crept into the immigration laws of 1924 and the history surrounding it. as it is very apparent that it was done without any scientific study and without thought or consideration. When the act of 1924 was passed in the House and went before the Senate for consideration. Senator REED was not alone satisfied with the discriminatory features contained in the new act. particularly the discrimination against southern and eastern Europe. which cut the quotas from 350.000 to 161.000. but he saw fit to present a further amendment with which he was not familiar and which was commonly known as the nationalorigin scheme which would further restrict immigration to a maximum of 150.000 on and after July 1. 1927. Out of this last sum Great Britain would get a total of almost 85.000. The bill went to conference and Senator REED used every possible means to keep the nationalorigin provisions before the conferees. who were more or less forced to accept it. otherwise we would have no restricted measure as provided for in the act then passed in the House. We can trace this national origin through one John B. Trevor. who describes himself as representing nobody but himself. having independent means. and who concocted this scheme by which we can further restrict immigration and further discriminate against certain classes and races. all to the benefit. in my opinion. of Great Britain. I have had the pleasure of listening to the statements of Captain Trevor. who appeared before the Committee on Immigration. of which I am a member. where he gave certain testimony regarding his plan and schemes pertaining to national origin which Senator RED saw fit to accept and adopt. being a further means of restricting Immigration into this country and cutting down the quota to 150.000 and freezing out everyone else but Great Britain. � We find in Hearing No. 69.2.1. on page 27 of the printed hearings. a statement by Captain Trevor. as follows: Senator RED introduced a nationalorigin amendment entirely without my knowledge and without any communication with me whatsoever on March 6. and on March 6. 1924. he knew nothing of my sbggestion until the following afternoon. when Senator Lodgehanded him a copy of my preliminary survey about 4 oclock. or half past 4 of that afternoon. Apparently Captain Trevor pust havediscussed his idea and thought about the national origin with other persons in the Senate. This scheme of his was welcomed by those who believed in both restriction and discrimination. and they have forced this scheme upon the managers of the House. who finally adopted it as a permanent..plicy of Congress amending the act of 1924. Up to the present time. apparently. -we could not determine the national origin. nor could anybody understand the scheme. nor could we trace the origin of the peoples as is expressed in the .law without humiliation and. condemnation against certain races. As to this point. I call your attention to the testimony given before the Immigration Committee by Joseph A. Hill. assistant to the Director of the Bureau of the Census. which is contained in the hearing of January 18. .19. and 26. 1927. Hearing No. 69.2.1.