Speech #700010725

Any man who resents fair discussion and criticism is either a fool or a knave. He can have his choice. I yield to no man in my respect for the highminded Members of this House and for the traditions of this house. but I protest that it is unfair that I should be abused simply because I bring forth questions here that are continually asked of intending immigrants. I leave it to the sense of fairness of gentlemen here to determine whether I am within my rights as a Member of this House to come here and speak my word and have my say.. The gentleman from Washington seeks to draw a red herring across the trail by referring to certain remarks of mine made in New York. but apparently candor does not reside in him. tand therefore the statement that he makes as to my utterance is entirely erroneous. I came before this membership with a simple proposition wherein I Indicated that certain questions were being asked immigrants which are manifestly unfair. if not ridiculous. I submitted a communication from the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service. wherein he admits that these questions were asked. I thus produced corroboration. Because I dared truthfully to point out what I deemed to be an abuse of powers intrusted to an examining official I am to be the subject of a personal attack and a subject of mean remarks by the gentleman from Washington. With reference to the gentleman from Washington . I will say that he has done practically nothing to unite families who have been divided by the wide expanse of ocean and by the immigration act. He has never raised a finger in all humanity and deency to enable the husband to bring his wife to this country or to enable a father or mother to place their loving arms around their children now abroad. I believe there is not a person in this House who would seek to strike at and undermine family life in that way. If the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Immigration would allow a bill to come to this House for the purpose of uniting families. the House would pass it. 434 to 1.