Speech #700066757

No. I am not in favor of open immigration. For the benefit of the gentleman from Florida and others who believe as he does let me call attention to a little history of our immigration problems. In addition to the problem itself. there is always the question of an adjustment to be made by those who by the ties of blood and kinship are related to the immigrant. and the solution of the immigration problem requires principally a full determination as to what effect. if any. our policy can have on those who have a right to humane consideration of their own peculiar position in any matter affecting the welfare of their families. I fully agree with my colleague that immigration in this country should be limited in sone way. The trouble. however. with the existing law is that it seeks to limit immigration into the United States. not by quality but by number. and particularly it ignores the fact that no particular race or group is in any way superior to any of the classes or groups. The obvious purpose of this discrimination is the adoption of an unfounded anthropological theory that the nations which are favored are the progeny of fictitious and hitherto unsuspected Nordic ancestors. while those discriminated against are not classified as belonging to that mythical ancestral stock. No scientific evidence worthy of consideration was introduced to substantiate this pseudoscientific proposition. It is pure fiction and the creation of a journalistic imagination. All we know is that these immigrants are all human beings. and none of them Is regarded by the majority of the committee as undesirable so long as they meet the test of the act of 1917. Those who in the past have been admitted into this country. whether born in one part of Europe or another. have been indus trious and useful accessions to our population. Many of them have become citizens and have performed their civic duties. and during the war entered our Army and Navy in large nujmbers. and were loyal to our Government.