Speech #780122469

The Korean people will. of course. claim relationship to the great Chinese nationality. The tremendous strength .of China. and her great institutions. are to an American very. very satisfying. because China learned how to work out first. and to work them out best. the ordinary fundamentals of what we recognize as democratic institutions. A couple of generations agoI almost hesitate to mention the timeI was one of a national committee made up of Americans from all parts of our Nation to seriously enter into a study of our immigration problems. The committee was called the Committee for Constructive Immigration Legislation. and after a number of years of study and recommendation the act which is now known as the act of 1924. which established the quota system. became the law of our land. Had that act been pasesd as it was expected it would be passed. had not an incident in regard to the Japanese arisen at that time. there probably would have been no need today for the bill we are considering. But Senators present remember that there was an unfortunate incident. and. as a result. the Chinese Exclusion Act was expanded. rather than contracted. At this time especially we are happy to take part in a discussion of the kind now proceeding. because everyone knows that the friendship of China and the friendship of the Chinese people are elements in our own national growth of such yalue that they cannot be estimated. Let us be sordidly economic for just 1 minute.