Speech #690245475

Mr. Chairman. and gentlemen. we are being put into a strange. uncertain. and most unsatisfactory condition with respect to our immigration policy. I have been a member of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization for 12 years. and have had some part in working out and framing the restrictive provisions of the laws that have been passedbeginning with the literacy test and coming down to the selective and restrictive law of 1924. which provides that the annual quota from each foreign country permitted to send immigrants shall be 2 per cent of the number of foreignborn of such nationality resident in the United States as determined by the census of 1890. with a minimum of 100 from any country from which immigrants are received as permanent residents. Under this act the annual quota of all countries is 164.667. The operation of this act has been. in the main. satisfactory. and it has received the approval of the American people. I am confident that the hope is general that such an immigration law will be the permanent and definitely established policy of this country. After the 1924 act had passed the House of Representatives a provision was inserted by the Senate and finally accepted in conference to the effect that quotas after July 1. 1927. be based upon what is termed "national origin." which means that the quota from any country shall be the number which bears the same ratio to 150.000 as the number of inhabitants in the United States in 1920 having that national origin bears to the total number of inhabitants in the United States in 1920. preserving the minimum quota of 100. These quotas to be determined by the joint action of the Secretary of State. the Secretary of Commerce. and the Secretary of Labor. and their report thereon to be made to the President. who shall on or before April 1. 1927. issue a proclamation putting the quotas determined into effect for the year beginning July 1. 1927. and for ensuing years. This provision is also restrictive and the total number of quota immigrants thereunder will be 153.541 annually. The report of the Secretaries has been completed. the quota for each country las been determined under the nationalorigins plan. and the only additional step necessary to nmake that provision of the law effective is the issuance of the Executive proclamation. My judgment is. and has been. that we should have a definite. selective. and restrictive immigration law as the permanent and settled policy of this country. And further. that most decidedly our immigration policy should be kept free of foreign claims and political manipulation. I feel that I should say very frankly that I have preferred that the quotas continue to be based on the census of 1890. However. those in charge of legislation and controlling the administration have had ample time and opportunity to establish that condition. but have made no definite attempt to do so. The logical inference. therefore. is that they favor the nationalorigins plan. If we are going in under the nationalorigins plan. nothing further is required except the proclamation by the President. and we might just as well get it settled now. The danger of continued vacillation in our immigration law lies in the opportunity it offers to those who oppose the use of the census of 1890 in fixing quotas and to those who oppose the nationalorigins provision to enter into a combination and to alter or repeal the restrictive provisions entirely. and thus remove the legislative barriers that constitute the safety of the Republic. A campaign to that end is pending. and if our policy is left Indefinite for another year there will be great danger of losing the benefits and security provided by the existing law. It is my most earnest and sincere belief that the welfare of the country demands the defeat of the Senate bill. so that the proclamation may issue and let the country know what the definite immigration policy is.