Speech #750225549

No. Mr. Speaker. these appeals are to break down our immigration laws. and should be denied in no uncertain terms. I supported the immigration laws of 1924. and I was in favor of making them even stronger. I was not then. and I am not now. in favor of making my country the dumping ground for the riffraff of the Old World. I have before me a resolution adopted by the national executive committee of the American Legion in opposition to any attempt to make America the "asylum for political and religious refugees throughout the world." If there is any one organization that has the right to speak on this subject. and is qualified to speak on this subject. it is the American Legion. That organization Is composed of men who served their country during the World War. A large portion of them served overseas. and they know the conditions existing in Europe. I believe they express the sentiment of an overwhelming majority of the American people in every State in the Union in opposing this policy. I hope every Legion post in America takes up the question. I hope that every other patriotic organization in America. the Daughters of the American Revolution. the Daughters of the Confederacy. the Grand Army of the Republic. and the United Confederate VeteransI hope every patriotic organization and every civic organization will take this proposition up now and help to defeat every effort to break down our immigration laws. and I hope they will let their public officials know how they stand on this vital question. Under permission granted me to extend my remarks in the RECORD. I insert at this point the resolution adopted by the national executive committee of the American Legion. to which I have referred. It reads as follows: There were referred to this committee three proposals all of a kindred nature and commended to the principle of making the United States an asylum for all political and religious refugees throughout the world. These proposals are inimical to the welfare of the United States and. while our sympathies may be directed toward the sufferings of those who are being persecuted In other lands. our duty to our own citizens under the present distressing circumstances compels consideration even to the exclusion to those in foreign countries. however sympathetic we may be toward them in their present plight. In addition. the powers that. would be conferred under these resolutions are so unlimited in scope as to make Impossible comprehension even at this time of the extent to which our present number of unemployed and indigent residents might be increased.