Speech #790106070

Chairman. I am opposed to enactment of H. R. 3517. now before us. and which seeks to permit immigration of citizens of India now barred from this country by the immigration laws. I oppose this measure just as I opposed the measure in 1943 which reversed our position and let the Chinese come to this country and become naturalized. My reasons for opposition to the pending measure are the same as those I have heretofore expressed. Prior to December 17. 1943. the right to- become a naturalized citizen of the United States was limited to white persons. persons of African nativity or descent. and descendants of races indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Following the First World War millions of people from other lands demanded the right to moveto the United States. It was necessary to strengthen our immigration laws at that time to prevent this flood of immigration vie could not absorb. We are face to face with that situation again but are not meeting it with much success. The measure which let down the bars for the Chinese is now being used as a precedent for theIndians. If we pass this rheasure we will have two precedents which can be used to further weaken the immigration laws and let in other people. The camels nose is under the tent. Advocates of the policy that we should let down our immigration barriers to those people who cannot be assimilated into our population are traveling. with the same crowd of nogood dogooders and downfallen uplifters who think this country should be run as a freelunch counter for the wholeworld. They advocate that this country should be one state in a world state. We may come to that. but now is no time for it. I am interested in preserving the American standard of living. which is the highest in the world. We cannot do it- if we let down the immigration bars. I am interested in preserving the American concept of government. We cannot do it if we continue to let floods of people come into America with alien ideologies and .with the avowed intention of overthrowing this Government. I am. interested in seeing to it that our returning war veterans have jobs. They will not have jobs. there will not be enoigh to go around. if we force them to compete with hordes of immigrants used to a lower standard of living. Why should our war heroes have to compete with these foreigners for American jobs? Our men have earned the right to return to their jobs without having to compete with them with foreign people whose necks they have saved.