Mr. President. I feel that I am certainly within the bounds of reasonable statement when I say that in 1924 certainly those who were fighting against the restriction of immigration were fighting against the 1890 census. They were fighting against it upon the ground that it was arbitrarily selected and that it was illogical and an actual discrimination against certain nations. In order to offset their attack. in order to devise soine scheme that was fair in principle. which could be applied without the slightest charge of purpose to discriminate upon our part as between nations. we said .we would adopt the nationalorigins provision. in the meantime allowing the 1890 census to serve as the basis of immigration for two years only. I have already said that we twice extended the period during which the 1890 census was continued. and it has already been pointed out that now. after about three months trial under the national origins law. we are asked to repeal it. we are asked to strike it down. I say what I intended to say in the beginning. not that some Senators upon this floor are not opposed to restricted immigration. because many of them oppose it just as strongly as I do. but I say that the influences which constantly strive to unsettle the basis of our immigration law. which constantly strive to drive us into the selection of one census as against another census. opening us to the attack of intentionally discriminating against some nation and in favor of another. are the ones who would undo our Immigration policynot those Senators who cast their honest votes here In an effort to do what they believe to be right in this matter. with just as much conviction upon the general question of exclusion of immigration as I myself ever have claimed. That is all. But the defense of the 1890 census runs back again and again to the production of figures here showing that Denmark and Sweden. most excellent countries. and other countries get more than they do under national origins. That is the reason why I have opposed the abandonment of the nationalorigins theory. We can not in the long run sustain our immigration act if every time it is under attack we have to bring a chart in here to show to Senators. to those of us who sprang from this group. to those of us who had our roots back in this race or that race. that we are getting the advantage under the act as it is or as we propose to make It. Let there be no mistake about It. If it were left personally to me. as I have already said. the 1890 census is entirely agreeable. If I had the personal privilege of selecting the immigration into this country I would not exclude those from Germany. Denmark. and Sweden. and other countries which do lose under the application of the nationalorigins quota. I would not do that. But above every other consideration I would maintain our restrictive immigration law. and in maintaining It I believe we can do it better and in the long run more effectively if we say to all the countries of the globe. "You shall be allowed to send your part of the annually admitted immigration into the United States according to the contribution made by you to the whole population of the United States." If that is not fair and if that is not just. if it can be reasonably administered. then I am wholly unable to know what is fair and what is just in the making of an immigration law.
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Immigration immigration