Speech #780106363

To clutter it up otherwise would be unfair. A great deal has been said here today. and ably said. regarding the reasons for the bill. I merely point out -that the Chinese exclusion acts. in my opinion. have been a great source of misunderstanding between China and the United States for over 60 years. I cannot say as some of the speakers have said today that the Chinese exclusion acts have caused widespread resentment in China. I cannot use that word "resentment." because I know the Chinese people too well. They are a proud and a tolerant race. but I can say that the Chinese exclusion acts for 60 years have been a source of humiliation to a great nation and a great people. The Chinese do not resent anything. They are an understanding. tolerant people. and may I say to the gentleman from Michigan far over and beyond that. they are a spiritual people and there are some things. and I know my friend. the gentleman from Minnesota will agree with me. that the Chinese people value away over and beyond material things. These Chinese exclusion acts are a source of hurhiliation to a people of great character. Let me say another thing to clear the record. I do not think the Chinese think for one minute that the origin of the exclusion laws in this Congress was due to ill will toward the Chinese people. Intelligent Chinese know that the reasons for them were economic. The able gentleman from Illinois pointed out today that. at that time. the laws were well taken. not only to protect us against contract labor. but to protect our country from groups that exploited labor in those times. After all. the Chinese were brought to California for one thing. cheap labor. That time and the economic reasons for the exclusion acts have passed. We have ample laws on the books to protect us against contract labor. We have ample laws to protect us against the influx of cheap labor. The economic reason was gone years ago.