Speech #800016160

I did my part by opposing it most vigorously but my protests were of no avail. In the last few years at least hundreds of these private. bills have been acted upon favorably with theresult that many persons who were undesirable have been by congressional action given citizenship while no doubt there were many hundreds who were much more deserving who did not have the finances or the social standing with which to make legislative contact. There is a constant and persistent influence at work in our country to violate the immigration laws in almost every conceivable way. No doubt this is due to the fact that in the State Department. and In the Attorney Generals.office are many employees who have persistently infiltrated themselves into these Departments so as to encouragethis practice of unlawful entry into the country. I do not charge this directly to the Secretary of State nor to the Attorney General except that I say that they could well afford to screen their personnel and to ascertain who in their Departments are undermining the law and in that way undermining the Government. I am sure that a careful screening would develop a large number who should be suspended from the service immediately. Formerly the immigration authorities were diligent in their inspection of persons who came by boat to our shores. The law provided a severe penalty against steamship companies for bringing to our shores undesirable individuals. This was a proper policy for few if any aliens could come to our land except by boat.