Speech #780106357

Mr. Chairman. that it will create additional propaganda material which the enemy does not have at present. while it will do nothing to check the present Japanese propaganda. In the first place. this bill. while discriminating against the Chinese sofar as the white race is concerned. does place them in a preferential class insofar as other Asiatic nations are concerned. The Japanese have been telling the Chinese that we are prejtldiced against them because we do not treat them on an equality basis with the white race so far as immigration is concerned. This bill will do noth.ing to correct that criticism by the Japanese because. while we pretend to give the Chinese equality in this legislation. we do not do so for the reasons which I have heretofore pointed out. What we are attempting here is nothing but a sop to the Chinese and the Japanese will certainly tell them so. and. unfortunately. they will be telling them the truth. While this fails to .cure the propaganda . situation as it presently exists it creates an additional propaganda weapon with respect to the Asiatics. particularly the Filipinos. By the provisions of this measure we put China in a favored position as against all other Asiatics. including the Filipinos who have been and are at present our own nationals. The Philippine Independence Act of 1934 gave the Filipinos a quota of 50 per year for entrance to this .country but not for citizenship until the date of their independence and. thereafter. no quota for entry here or for citizenship. Do you see then -what further difficulties this legislation creates for us? As far as I can observe. if we are to place China on a quota basis there is no valid reason for refusing. to do likewise for other Asiatics and. particularly. the Filipinos. Are not the feelings of the Filipinos. to be considered in our deliberations and actions on this subject? If we cannot do anything for them by way of liberalization of our immigration policy should we by deliberate act discriminate against them as we do in the pending legislation. Are not the Philippines an important sector in the Pacific theater of war? We have already witnessed the program of the Japs in their efforts to alienate the friendship of the Filipino and to make him prejudiced against us.