Mr. Speaker. I regret that we are now discussing formulas on which quotas are based. rather than the big point at issue which. in my opinion. is the removal from our immigration laws of the specific prohibition making the Chinese ineligible for admission to the United States. Regardless of the number of Chinese immigrants that may be involved. we should erase from our statute books the objectionable language citing. by name. the citizens of China. I have a deep interest in this legislation aud on February 17 of this year introduced bill H. R. 1882. As students of the law. you will be interested to know that my bill. H. R. 1882. was the first one introduced in this House. since the original Exclusion Act was passed in the year of 1882. aimed to repeal outright the Chinese Exclusion Act. I did not insert the figure 105 in my bill. which figure has been mentioned as Chinas quota. and for a good reason. I felt the existing quota law would regulate the number of admissions and I am equally sure the quota would work out to the same result as that shown on the blackboard by the previous speaker. the gentleman from Illinois . We must admit that the present law excluding Chinese is unfair and discriminatory. The Committee on Immigration and Naturalization held extensive hearings on this subject and before that committee there appeared representatives of all the religious groups of our country and the Chinese Roman Catholic Bishop. Yu Pin. as well as many other humanitarians and profound students of international affairs. They all approved of thb legislation. The Immigration Committee of this House had before it several bills. and the bill that we are to consider. H. R. 2309. is the one recommended by our committee. I am heartily in favor of this legislation because of the principle that is involved. and that is the principle of equal treatment to all men. I am fortunate in having. as I expected I would have. the wholehearted endorsement of President Roosevelt in my efforts to secure the repeal of the Exclusion Act. Mr. Speaker.
Keywords matched
Immigration Chinese Exclusion Naturalization immigration immigrants quota law Exclusion Act