Speech #710175342

Kellogg. He believes. as did Mr. Kellogg. that it would be a great mistake for the Congress of the United States to enact a law imposing a rigd immigration quota upon Mexico. I am sure that the Secretary of State was fully aware before he departed for England of the activities of our American consuls in Mexico in refusing visas to Mexican citizens who could not comply with the immigration laws of the United States. and that the good work done by them in Mexico met with his hearty approval I The chief of the visa office of the State Department. Mr. John Farr Simmons. delivered an address at a conference oil immigration held at Williamstown. Mass.. last summer which the Senator from Pennsylvania [IMr. REDJ appreciated so highly that he had it inserted in the CONORESSIONAL RECORD of September 4. 1929. After reading this address the Senator front Pennsylvania. who has always been an ardent advocate of mlmigration restriction. stated publicly that he was convinced that it was no longer necessary for Congress to encat legislation imposing a quota on Mexico. I will quote briefly from the address delivered by Mr. Simmons at the Williamstown Institute of Politics. on August 7. 1929: Reports requested from American diplomatic representatives in Latin American countries are practically unanimous in their statement that the application of quota restrictions to them could not fail to be interOreted by them as a radical departure from the traditional policy of this country toward Latin America. and as evidence of unwillingness to continue to regard them as equals and neighbors having common problems. ltterests. and aims. In questioning the wisdom of adopting legislation to that end at the present time. I wish to make It clear that there is no advocacy of the free admission of large numbers of aliets of any nationality to the injury of the best interests of the United States.