Speech #700190651

For this reason President Coolidge twice asked the Congress to postpone the nationalorigin provision. and now we are quietly told that the action at the eleventh hour for further postponement is at the request of Mr. loover. Both candidates for President at the last election declared in opposition to this clause. As the report says. the people hold the opinion if any action is taken in reference to immigration it should be toward reduction of quota and that they are not concerned as to allocation. If such be the case why cause great dissatisfaction among our citizens of German and Irish decent by reducing the quotas of those two countries. If this clause is not postponed. Germany will lose 26.319 of its present quota. Irish Free State. 11.140. while Great Britain will gain 21.887. giving it a quota of 65.894. over double the quota of any other foreign country. The German and Irish immigrants have been powerful factors in the development of this country. They have been as desirable as immigrants from any other nation. There is no reason to doubt but that those who come in the future from Germany and the Irish Free State will be of the same caliber as their countrymen and women who have preceded them. Our immigration laws should be strictly enforced. Only those of good character. sound physically and mentally. should be allowed to enter. Provisions should bemade to extend our border patrol. In conclusion I desire to express the hope that those who in the past have been inclined to broadcast the opinion that there are Members of Congress who seek to undermine the present iinmigration laws will find some other method to rehabilitate themselves among their constituents. The people need have no fear that our restricted immigration policy will be disturbed.