Speech #710175574

R. 8708. a bill to exclude certain citizens of the Philippine Islands from the United States. It reads as follows: Be it enacted. etc.. That subdivision (b) of section 28 of the immigration act of 1924 is amended to read as follows: "(b) The term alien includes anyindividual not a nativeborn or naturalized citizen of the United States. but this definition shall not be held to include Indians of the United States not taxed. nor citizens of the islands (except the Philippine Islands) under the jurisdiction of the United States .". The effect of the Welch bill is to impose a quota upon the Philippine Islands. It seems to me that it would be wiser to proceed along the lines suggested by the bill introduced by the Senator from California GE. which provides that the Secretary of Labor may regulate the migration of aliens from our insular possessions. That would leave the entire question of Philippine Immigration in the hands of an administrative authority which everyone agrees is perfectly competent to care for such a situation. It permits selective immigration. authorizes students. business men. and others having a legitimate need to come to the United States. to enter under suitable regulation provided by the Department of Labor. Such a law would prevent the emigration either to Hawaii or to the United States of Filipino laborers whose services are not needed. The Philippine Islands are not an integral part of the United States as Porto Rico and Hawaii are. The Philippines were not incorporated into the Union by the Jones Act. which is the organic law that governs the people of that archipelago.