Speech #700171592

Chairman and gentlemen of the House. I am pleased to be in a position to say that it begins to look as if I have been of some service to the House and to the country. I say this because I recall that when some four years ago tie House was about to pass a deportation bill I called attention to the fact that it contained many glaring defects. I pointed out here at that time that some of its provisions were most unfortunate. unfair. and utterly indefensible. That I was justified in my criticism was demonstrated later by the refusal of the Senate to enact it into law. Again. a year ago. the House passed a deportation bill. not as fierce. not quite as bad. as the one we passed in 1926. but still a very vicious bill which again failed. and properly so. to pass the Senate. Therefore. I am indeed pleased that today the committee submits for your consideration a deportation bill which is not as vicious. which Is not as bad. and which I am hopeful that I may be able to vote for. and will vote for. if a few amendments are agreed to. and which amendments I feel that you gentlemen will vote for when they are submitted to the House. Now. with a view of enlightening some of you gentlemen who have been made to believe that ill years gone by we have had no deportation legislation. I want to read to you. while I have a chance. what the present law provides. I desire to do this so that in the future you will not be carried away on legislation that is brought up on the floor of the House merely because some unreasonable people insist upon its enactment. I know that most of you. due to the large amount of work you have. and the many duties which you must perform. are unable to familiarize yourselves with all of the. laws. Therefore. at this time I shall read what the present deportation law actually is. Section 19 provides: SEc. 19. That at any time within five years after entry. any alien who at the time of entry was a member of one or more of the classes excluded by law. any alien who shall have entered or who shall be found in the United States in violation of this act. or in violation of any other law of the United States. any alien who at any time after entry shall be found advocating or teaching the unlawful destruction of property. or advocating or teaching anarchy. or the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States or of all forms of law or the assassinaiion of public officials. any alien who within five years. after entry becomes a public charge from causes not affirmatively shown to have arisen subsequent to landing. except as hereinafter provided. any alien who is hereafter sentenced to imprisonmient for a term of one year or more because of conviction in this country of a crime involving moral turpitude. committed within five years after the entry of the alien to tle United States. or who is hereafter sentenced more than once to such a term of imprisonment because of conviction in this country of ally crime involving moral turpitude. committed at any time after entry. any alien who shall be found an inmate of or connected with tile management of a house of prostitution or practicing prostitution after such alien shall have entered the United States. or wh6 shall receive. share in. or derive benefit from any part of the earnings of any prostitute. any alien who manages or is employed by. in. or in connection with any house of prostitution or music or dance hall or other place of amusement or resort habitually frequented by prostitutes. or where prostitutes gather. or who in any way assists any prostitute or protects or promises to protect from arrest any prostitute. any alien who shall Import or attempt to import any person for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose. any alien who. after being excluded and deported or arrested and deported as a prostitute. or as a procurer. or as having been connected with the business of prostitution or importation for prostitution or other immoral purposes in any of the ways hereinbefore specified. shall return to and enter the United States. any alien convicted and imprisoned for a violation of any of the provisions of section four hereof. any alien who was convicted. or who admits the commission. prior to entry. of a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. at any time within three years after entry. any alien who shall have entered the United States by water at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officials. or by land at any place other than one designated as a port of entry for aliens by the Commissioner General of Immigration. or at any time not designated by immigration officials. or who enters without inspection. shall. upon the warrant of the Secretary of Labor. be taken into custody and deported. I have read to you the deportation provision of our law which has been o the statute books for over 10 years. under which to my mind you can deport almost anybody. at least anybody and everybody who is guilty of any crime. But in that law there were limitations as to when deportations must take place in instances of certain offenses. It will be noted that the law now requires that deportation must take place within three or five years in certain instances. That. however. does not apply to the provision that I had written into the law. namely. the deportation of violators of the whiteslave traffic. under which they can be deported at any and all timles without any limitation of time. The bills that the committee reported. and the House voted for. at the last session and the session before last. merely recited the present laws and eliminated the limitations that are placed in it. in respect to some of the offenses mentioned in the 1917 act. Therefore. as I say.