Speech #780041972

I do not need to dwell on the fact that in a great many of the countries which are contemplated under the act no very elaborate or very accurate or very hard and fast system is established for the registration of births. and that we would scarcely be willing to rest our whole policy on the birth records which exist in many of those countries. Let me read the paragraph: (g) In order to facilitate the employment by agricultural employers in the United States of nativeborn residents of North America. South America. and Central America. and the islands adjacent thereto. desiring to perform agricultural labor in the United States. during continuation of hostilities in the present war. any such resident desiring to enter the United States for that purpose shall be exempt from the payment of head tax required by section 2 of the Immigration Act of February 5. 1917. and from other admission charges. and shall be exempt from those excluding provisions of section 3 of such act which relate to contract laborers. the requirements of literacy. and the payment of passage by corporations. foreign government. or others. and any such resident shall be admitted to perform agricultural labor in the United States for such time and under such conditions (but not including the exaction of bonO to insure ultimate departure from the United States) as may be required by regulations prescribed by the Commissioner of Immigration. and Naturalization with the approval of the Attorney General. and in the event such regulations require documentary evidence of the country of birth of any such resident which he is unable to furnish. such requirement may be waived by the admitting officer of the United States at the point where such resident seeks entry into the United States if such official has other proof satisfactory to him that such resident is a native of the country claimed as his birthplace. I think all Senators will agree that the last phrase I just read substantiates what I said about the great difficulty of obtaining any dependable proof that persons coming in under this act are or are not nativeborn residents of the country concerned.