Speech #710095052

Mr. Speaker. ladies and gentlemen of the House. I wish to speak on the question of immigration. but before I do so I want to say this. in view of the question propounded by the gentleman from Wisconsin to the gentleman from New York as to the fourth amendment of the Constitution that is being asked for by Bishop Wilson. I can not understand why the gentleman should be surprised at such a demmd on the part of the bishop. What is the Constitution to a professional prohibitionist? It means absolutely nothing. That is all I wish to say on this particular point today because in the near future I intend to pay my respects at more length to the political churchmen like Bishops Cannon and Wilson. Today I wish to confine myself to the subject of immigration. A few moments ago the chairman of the Immigration and Naturalization Committee gave you the facts as to the hardships of the membership of that committee. I recognize its trials and tribulations. I appreciate the tremendous amount of labor that that committee has been subjected to. but had the gentleman from Washington and the Immigration Committee taken my advice in the years gone by their work would have been simplified and the conditions to which he and the gentleman from Texas have called your attention would not exist today. For years I have pleaded for fair immigration legislation. but Instead of having fair and just legislation proposed to us by the Committee on Immigration. which has been controlled by restrictionists. we were forced to vote on bills that were harsh and discriminatory. Years ago the gentleman from Texas and myself asked that the Western HemisphereCanada. Mexico. Central and South American countries and the West Indiesshould be placed on a quota basis. the same as Europe. For a long time I could not understand why we were continually asked to restrict European immigration and leave the doors wide open to Canada. Mexico. the Central and South Americas. and the West Indies. But as time went on I began to perceive the light.