Speech #700178146

Hoover. and Davisin submitting the tabulation of data upon which the nationalorigins quotas are to be based . to realize the truth of this statement. They reported as follows: The statistical and historical information available raises grave doubts as to the full value of this compilation as a basis for the purpose contended. Surely a very strong statement as to the ureliability of the nationalorigins method of determining our immigration quotas. The reason for this is that the data is compiled very largely as a result of guess work as to the origin of people residing in this country at the time of the census of 1790. the guess work being almost entirely predicated on the supposed origin of such people because of their names. When we propose to change an existing method. whereby we are to reduce materially the quotas of some of our most desirable immigrants. we want something more than guess work as a basis for any such action. Take the case of the immigration from the Scandinavian countries as an illustration. which I think we will all agree has proven to be one of the most desirable. Under the present act. based on the percentage of foreign born in this country as of the date of the census of 1890. there is allowed to come into this country annually from the three countries of Denmark. Norway. and Sweden 18.803 immigrants. Under the socalled nationalorigins provision this would be cut down to only 7.036. much less than onehalf. There would also be considerable reduction in the number of immigrants coming from Germany. the Irish Free State. and several other countries. But the argument is made that the nationalorigins method will give us more of the old AngloAmerican stock. to which we owe so much in the original settlement of this country. I do not wish to decry the debt we owe to our forefathers of English descent. who constituted such a large part of the early immigra. tion into this country.