Speech #720023413

There is some justification in this complaint. Myself and others have pointed this out at different times on the floor of this House. This condition came as a result of the failure of Congress to enact legislation to further restrict immigration. especially through Mexico and Canada. This need became urgent with the progress of the depression. and in September. 1930. President Hoover issued an order to all consuls to exercise greater care in the admission of immigrants and to apply more strictly the "liable to become a public charge " clause of the exclusion laws. The department took the position that although an immigrant might in prosperous times meet all physical. moral. and financial requirements. still that person might be liable to become a public charge if he were to come to our country at a time in which many very splendid men and women are without work and with no prospects for work. The consuls followed the Presidents orders and they effected a tremendous reduction of about 90 per cent of all the immigration as it formerly flowed. In the last 18 months 300.000 were refused visas that otherwise would have been granted. Under the present law the quotas of European countries total 153.000. By reason of the increased activities of the departments heretofore referred to the quota Immigrants receiving visas during the first year ending June 30. 1931. was reduced to 48.528. a reduction of over 100.000. During the last fiscal year 46.000 visas were issued to nonquota immigrants. In the previous year 107.500 were issued. The phrase "liable to become a public charge " is elastic and relative in its meaning.