Speech #710027958

Mr. President. there has been a good deal said about the circulation of propaganda in connection with the nationalorigins provision of the immigration law. In common with many other Senators. I presume. I received this morning a letter marked "Personal" and signed by the American Vigilant Intelligence Federation. of Chicago. Ill.. in which an editorial from the Chicago Tribune is reprinted. which this letter says "sets forth in simple terms the fundamental issue underlying the duty involved upon all loyal Americans to support the nationalorigins provision." and so forth. and which accuses those of us who are trying to carry out the recommendations of the President with belonging to "not wholly assimilated groups which are preoccupied with their own national identity." and so forth. I do not intend to read it or to have it printed in the RECORD. but merely wish to call attention to the kind of propaganda that is being issued. and in particular to the veiled threat at the bottom of this sheet which says: The rollcall vote on the Nye resolution to discharge the Senate Immigration Committee will be tabulated and widely distributed. In other words. Mr. President. those of us who wish to carry out the recommendation of the President when he said in his message that the enactment of "certain matters of emergency legislation" would be in the public interest. and included in them "the suspension of the nationalorigins clause of the immigration act of 1924." those of us who are in favor of that question being considered by the Senate and are opposed to the action of the committee In having it pigeonholed in the committee so that an opportunity to vote on the suspension of this provision may be had in the Senate and debate may be had on such suspension or any amendment to the immigration act are to be held up to scorn by those who are connected with the American Vigilant Intelligence Federation and their friends. who remind us that the "rollcall vote on the Nye resolution to discharge the Senate Immigration Committee will be tabulated and widely distributed." In other words. they say. "If you vote to bring this question out of the committee and onto the floor of the Senate. where It may be debated. amended. and voted upon. you are going to be shown up to your constituents as being unAmerican and not being willing to carry out the duty devolving upon all loyal Americans." and so forth. That is the kind of propaganda to which some of us are being subjected. and I protest against those who. when the time comes to vote. shall vote in favor of the resolution to discharge the committee being accused of being disloyal Americans. for rather they should be credited with doing something which the President asked us to do when he called Congress in extra session.