Speech #710172994

I hope very much that what the Senator proposes may be done. because I am sure it would relieve a very large part of the animosity which is sure to arise in Latin America if this bill passes in its present form. or even in the form of the Johnson bill. The Senator will remember that there appeared before his committee. when he was chairman of the Committee on Immigration. Secretary of State Kellogg. in March. 1928. who stated that his department had endeavored to find out. through our representatives throughout Latin America. how the various bills limiting immigration from the other countries in this hemisphere were regarded in Latin America. He became convinced that such a measure would adversely affect the present good relations of the United States with Latin America and Canada. and would be prejudicial to the very considerable American interests in the countries under discussion. He said: Tile department has therefore considered it necessary to a proper discharge of its responsibilities in this connection to present this statement with regard to its findings as to the reaction to be expected if the lqgislation in question is enacted and as to the importance of the American interests which are involved. An examination of the situation Indicates that there is no immigration problem of importance with any American country with the possible exception of Mexico. As the Senator from California has just pointed out. He went further. and stated that the extension to these countries of quota restrictions on the basis of only 2 per cent of the persons born in the Latin American countries. and the resulting limitation of immigrants to 1.900 from all those 19 countries. exclusive of Mexico. would have a most unfortunate effect upon the efforts which the State Department has been making to encourage greater travel of citizens of the United States to Latin America and of Latin American citizens to the United States. and indirectly would have an adverse effect upon our efforts to bring about a larger exchange of students between the United States and the countries to the south of us. He went on to say: I want to say further that the greatest field for commercial enterprise today Is in Central and South America. and I will show you the extent to which the United States is becoming interested there when later I read to you our investments in those countries. I am not going to give the figures at the point where they are given In his statement. so I will merely say at the present time that the estimated- American investments In South America at the time that Secretary Kellogg made this statement to the committee were $2.115.000.000.