Speech #740064456

Mr. Chairman. the gentleman from Texas anticipated I was going to talk on immigration. so he thought he would get a march on me by talking about immigration himself. It so happens that I did not rise today to talk about immigration. I rose for something entirely different. Since the gentleman from Texas has discussed the question of immigration and his bill. may I call the attention of the Members of the House to the fact that the Committee on Immigration tried to bring about repatriation of over 100.000 aliens? I caused this bill to put on the Consent Calendar of the House and my friend the gentleman from Texas objected to consideration by the House on February 18. 1935. and he again objected on March 4. 1935. and so this House has been prevented from voting on this bill. My friend the gentleman from Texas will not let the Mem�bers of this House even consider this meritorious bill. I think it is significant that just recently a former Federal officer. Edward Corsi. formerly immigration commissioner at New York. has publicly testified in a hearing in New York to the effect that there are over 32.000 alien families in New York City alone receiving public relief. and he estimatesnotice I say he estimatesthat about a million and a half aliens are on Government relief rolls throughout the United States. But the most significant statement by Mr. Corsi during his examination was that he advocated the policy that it would be better for the Federal Government to use relief money to send these indigent aliens back home instead of supporting them here in the United States.