Speech #700066707

I will make my position plain. As Judge Box explained. we voted against all amendments when the immigration bill was before the House. but when it came back from the Senate with this amendment in it. considering that this legislation was vital to the welfare. the standard of living. and the very liberty we enjoyed. we then supported it in order that it could pass this House. I am not advocating the repeal of that portion of this statute at the present time. but I do say. gentlemen. that a resolution was passed a year ago suspending it at that time anld another resolution is pending now to do the same thing. My position is to put it into effect or bring it before this House for repeal. That is my position and I trust the gentleman will understand me. Now. in reference to this matter of kin folks and relationship. This same fight was made in 1924. these same gentlemen made those speeches on this floor at that time and ever since that act was passed an organized minority have been undertaking to drive wedges into that immigration law. I want to caution the Members of this House that whenever you let down the bars in one place you are letting them down in another place. For my part. I would rather tighten the reins than to loosen them. We have had no act passed in years that redounded more for the protettion and welfare of the United States than the immigration act of 1924. At that time millions were waiting on the shores of Europe just ready to come to our country. This is our country. and we owe a duty. not only to ourselves. but to future generations. and also to the memory of those patriots gone before us. to preserve its institutions. our form of government. and the character of our citizenship.