Speech #710176545

Let us see how those figures are arrived at. because I have been at some pains to endeavor to get detailed information concerning them. I investigated how the figutre "2.900" was arrived at. I find that it is arrived at by giving to Mexico at the ratio of 4 to I the number 2.900. the 4 to 1 being arrived at by taking one departing American to Mexico and saying. "We will give for each American departing to Mexico four Mexican immigrants to the United States." a wholly arbitrary figure. of course. The method of reaching it by a ratio of 4 to 1 creates at once some perplexityand I see upon the countenances of some. of my brother Senators a smilebut at any rate it does arrive at a figure. 2.900. The method of computation is one for which. of course. there is no justificatio.n. except the fact that it does enable one to reach "a definite figure. The method of arriving at the conclusion is a bit more exact. Congressman JOHNSON. in order to arrive at what he calls his bonus for the year 1930. takes onehalf of those to whom visas have been granted for the last six months of last year. He adds. therefore. for 1930. onehalf of those to whom visas were granted to four times as many Mexicans as there are Americans departing to Mexico. For 1930. therefore. he reaches his total number as shown by his bill submitted in the House. For the following year. 1931. lie lalves the half that he granted for 1930 and adds to 2.900 onehalf of onehalf of those to whom visas have been granted for the last six months of last year. That is the mode by which we are arriving at our quotas. I do not know how better we can arrive at them. either by the method employed by the Senator from Georgia or the method that has been employed by Congressman JOHNSON. of the State of Washington. It must be apparent. because of the fact that Mexicans come across the border in such numubers that no real count is kept of them. that we must take an absolute and arbitrary figure in arriving at any conclusion we draw. But I do not think that until now we have had any explanation upon the floor of the Senate of how these figures were arrived at. and I wanted an understanding upon tihe part of Senators here before they reach any conclusion and reach any vote upon either the substitute or the bill itself. In the one instance we have in the House bill a perfectly arbitrary figure with a ratio of 4 to 1. with onehalf of those who have visas in the last six months of last year added to that ratio of 4 to 1. as the number which t hes would be given us for 1930. and for 1931 we had four times as many as there are departing Americans in Mexico for Mexicans in the United States. with onehalf of onehalf of the visas that were granted during the last six months of last year. and in the other instance we have an undisclosed formula which mathematically Cain not be worked out and hs not been worked out here. resting alone upon a statement of somebody connected wvith some department that it will give us 1.200 or 1.500 Mexicans coming here in the next year. That is the situation in which this important legislation is presented to us. I would prefer. could I do it. and I am unable. I confess. mathematically to work out some plan by which we deal with the one point of immigration that is the point which is today hazardous to our people and the one that should be remediedI that is. the immigration from Mexico. But I an unable because we do not know the number who are coming here or the number who may come hereI am unable mathenmatically to work it out wvith any degree of exactness. and our legislation of necessity. I fear. is dependent upon uncertainty and upon mere estimates such as I have indicated save been made concerning the two measures.