Speech #690245480

I quote briefly froil the New York World of August 15. 1926: WASHINGTON. August 14.-The prediction by Representative ALPERT JOHNSON (Republican. Washington). chairman of the House Immigration Committee. that the Reed amendment to the 1924 immigration apct. providing for the estnhlishment of quotas on a nationalorigin basis. will not become effective. made in a speech at Vancouver. Wash.. yesterday. caused much surprise today among members of the committee and other Members of the House. They recalled that Mr. JOH..oN heretofore has been a staunch advocate of the Reed amendment and led the fight for Its adoption when the proposition was before the House. The change in front on the part of Mr. JOHNSON is attributed to the fact that he faces the possibility of. defeat in the primaries to be held September 14. largely because of his drastic views on restrictive immigration and deportation. In casting about to discover the cause of the pronounced opposition to his reelection. which has developed in his district. according to close friends here Mr. .TONSON found that much of it was traceable to his advocacy of the nationslorigiu plan for estimating quotas. Ile found that a large number of the voters in his district are offsprings of the small nations of Europe. whose quotas would be materially lessened under the new plan.