Speech #800023816

Mr. Byrnes. in which he said: You will recall that on December 22. 1945. I issued a directive on the subject of immigration. In which I stated. among other things: "The decision has been made. therefore to concentrate our immediate efforts in the American zones of occupation in Europe. This is not intended however entirely to exclude issuance of visas In other parts of the world. "In our zones in Europe there are citizens of every major European country. Visas issued to displaced persons and refugees will be charged. according to law. to the countries of their origin. They will be distributed fairly among persons of all faiths. creeds. and nationality." I have been informed that 90 percent of the nonpreference quotas are now being allocated to displaced persons in American zones of occupation in Europe. which means that many persons in other countries are denied the opportunity to emigrate to the United States. even though eligible to enter. It ir my view that the State Department should now give serious consideration to lessening the allocation to the American occupied zones. thus enabling displaced persons in other areas. as well as eligible persons residing in their native countries. to enter the United States under the nonpreference quotas. It will be seen that the President. therefore. in May of last year lessened his former directive of permitting the taking in of other people and made the statement that 90 percent of the nonpreference quotas were given over to the refugees and advised the Secretary of State that others should be considered from that time on. but it is plain from the information furnished me by the Department of State that refugees were continued thereafter to be admitted under the quotas into this country. until they had exceeded the figure of 9.000. which I have just stated. and which appears in the table which I asked to have printed in the RECORD. Congress has seen the necessity for prohibiting the immigration of persons having contagious diseases. idiots and lunatics. Asiatics. prostitutes. people convicted of moral turpitude. and finally anarchists believing in the overthrow of the United States Government by force. It is largely a matter of continued protection of the great growing American population that not only must we keep out these undesirables who have been classified under the headings above because harmful to this country. but such limitations must be strictly enforced. The United States at the present time and in the foreseeable future certainly for its welfare needs very little immigration. It can continue. I believe. to assimilate those who enter here under the fixed quotas of our law if those charged with the enforcement of the law will see to it that selected immigrants are brought in. Naturally preference should be given to those who are kinsmen of the immigrants who have settled here and who have proved their right to receive citizenship. We must recognize the liabilities that arise from importing revolutionaries and revolutionary intellectuals who. should we have reason to deport them. cannot be returned to the country of their origin. Our primary interest must be in the welfare of the United States. This does not prevent us from aiding individuals when in need wherever they may be. but certainly we are not called upon to take in members of unassimilable persons from abroad or to take in any number who cannot wholly adopt our way of life. The scrutiny and appraisal of all applicants for American immigration visas must be under the selective responsibility of the United States consular officers abroad and under the executive administration of the Department of State. There should be a Board of Immigration Visa Review appointed by the President. with the approval of the Senate. and the membership of that board might well be representatives of the Departments of State. War. Navy.