Speech #720023413

The bill provides for a 90 per cent reduction of these quotas also. The effect of this legislation is to put a quota on all the countries of the world except the countries of Asia. All these countries of Asia are restricted by total exclusion acts and agreements. This includes China. Japan. and India. The Philippines are not excluded and neither are the citizens of any of our island possessions. for they all live under the Am erican flag. President Hoover in his message to the present Congress said: I recommend that immigration restriction now in force under administrative action be placed upon a more definite basis by law. This is an unequivocal indorsement of this bill heretofore referred to. This bill was approved by the State and Labor Departments when it was considered before the last session of Congress. The only change in this bill over the one that passed the House on a former occasion is that the reduction is provided permanently. while in the former bill the reduction was to apply for two years only. With the whole world under a quota. with those quotas reduced to a reasonable minimum. with all reasonable preference given to members of families. thereby reuniting families effectively. and with departments thoroughly alive to their duties. it would seem to me that then we will meet about all the urgent needs for immigration legislation. My opposition to the lessimportant measures heretofore referred to is not so great as my desire to see this piece of major legislation enacted into law. There are two other propositions that have been advanced from time to time. One is the proposition for registration of all aliens. and another is a question of selective immigration. Both of these plans have merit and both have objections. There are many respectable aliens within our borders who came here many years ago when immigration restriction was not enforced rigidly and whose children are now among our most important citizens and who would be greatly humiliated if called up to establish legal entry. If registration is ever provided for it would seem that it would be the part of wisdom to make registry voluntary and not compulsory. Selective immigration has been advocated for years. By this means the Department of Labor would be permitted to select the immigrants that should come in. The principal opposition to this measure is that selective immigration will open the way to undue pressure being placed upon the Secretary of Labor. It will inevitably result in the admission of the fortunate and the exclusion of the unfortunate. The great American principle of "first come. first served" would apply most appropriately in immigration selection. Any other plan would tend to exclude the poor lad who might be longing for the opportunity to come to the land of his hope. Selective immigration will inevitably result in the selection of those who make themselves known and who press their cases. Our country came to its position of grandeur from the contribution of those who came across as immigrants to found a new nation. Preference should be given to near relatives and then after that this door should be thrown open so that the balance of the quotas should go to deserving people in the order in which they apply. Physical fitness. mental equipment. financial worth are not the best tests of ones fitness to become an American. All these are requisites. but the principal requisite is a proper spirit toward our ideals and toward our system of government. If these are lacking the immigrant will never become a real American.