Speech #760213140

I have listened attentively to this debate. It seems to me to be much ado about something which may be inconsequential. The amendment offered by the Senator from North Carolina proceeds upon the sound assumption that until an alien becomes a citizen through naturalization he is still an alien. and the Senator has very generously made a distinction between those who have indicated their desire to become citizens and those who have not. He puts them categorically or fundamentally in the same class. They are aliens. but one is alien to a greater degree than another. Those who have signified their desire to become citizens are given preference in the 10percent exemption over those who have not. It is useless to quibble or to attempt to dodge an issue. When I was chairman of the Immigration Committee I took occasion to have the statisticians determine how many adult male aliens were coming into the country. and I was astonished to find that the number of such adult male aliens was as great as the number of male children being born to native parents. I may say in passing that that was such an astonishing revelation to me that. in collaboration with others. I obtained the passage of the first restrictive immigration law. The President vetoed it on the ground that it was not in accord with the American spirit to deny an immigrant access to this country because of his lack of an education. That particular President had devoted his life to the field of education. What was his real reason for vetoing. on that particular ground. the immigration bill I am unable to say. I desire. however. to take this occasion to state that I believe the time has come in our American life. considering the demoralization of the moral. spiritual. and mental attitude of the world. to keep our sickness to ourselves and shut the door until we have either rotted or recovered. It is useless for us to attempt to treat a disease and at the same time to allow an infestation to pour in while we are treating it.