Speech #780106549

Chairman. I have read the minority and majority committee reports. I have listened carefully to the general debate. participated in largely by members of the Immigration Committee and those who have given special attention to immigration and foreign affairs. I have come to the conclusion that I shall support this resolution. It would seem from the views expressed in the debate that the opposition to this proposal at this time is cogently summed up in the Minority Committee Report. In short. those members of the committee opposing the resolution feel. first. that our basic immigration policies should not be changed in time of war. second. that to repeal the part of existing law. granting privileges to the Chinese not granted to other Asiatics. would be discriminatory and prejudicial to Koreans. Hindus. Indians. and other Asiatics. There is much logic in the position taken in the minority report. yet. on the other hand. we must not lose sight of the fact that we are fighting a great war. that China is our ally. and that. as a practical matter. the enactment of this legislation will have an infinitesimal effect on immigration into this country. I am sure that this is but a gesture so far as immedifte results are concerned. Nevertheless. it is a gesture. the effect of which will be to strengthen the unity and the confidence between China and the United States. If thismove will not be injurious. and will be helpful in the war effort. then I am willing to resolve the doubt in favor of affirmative action. I was interested in the statement of the preceding speaker. the chairman of the Immigration Committee. the gentleman from New York . Now. it is no secret that I have often disagreed with the distinguished chairman on immigration policy. By some. I might be called a restrictionist. and I am sure that by no stretch of the imagination could the gentleman from New York be placed in such a category. He always has been. and undoubtedly always will be. very liberal when it comes to opening the ports of our country to immigratipn from abroad. Maybe I have been a little selfish. but I still believe that our country cannot be of the most assistance to the rest of the world by reducing our own standards of living. by relaxing immigration laws to the extent that when the war is over we will have many more people than we have American jobs for those people. If I judge rightly. the principal opposition to this bill is because it is feared that this is but the forerunner of legislation that is to come from the Immigration Committee at alater date letting down the bars. throwing open- the gates. and creating a condition after the war that will make it utterly impossible to go back to American standards of living. I am opposed to any legislation that even remotely endangers our own people in this regard. Speaker after speaker. in opposing this resolution. has pointed out that "this is but the nose of the camel under the tent." and that later the real camel will appear and attempt to push its way into the tent. carrying with it legislation that will destroy existing restrictive law. The distinguished chairman of the Immigration Committee has made it clear that he at least has in mind the changing of present immigration quotas. and that his committee will give consideration to bills now pending before it aiming directly at that objective. If I thought this bill were a pilot for the bills to which he has referred. then I should oppose it most strenuously Regardless of the views of the chairman. I have such faith in his committee that I do not believe it will agree with him in this effort.