Mr. Chairman. it has been brought out here in the statement by the gentleman who has just preceded me that the Fellows bill attempts to writenew immigration legislation. That is not so for the simple reason that this bill was designed and prepared and was the result of a compromise over a period of a year to try to meet and to liquidate a specific problem. It has been pointed out here that this legislation changes the basic immigration laws of our Nation. It does. not. in any sense of the word. change our basic Immigration policy. I might point out to the Members of the House. that were it not for the war years we would have had under existing law. through normal immigration into this country. well over 900.000 immigrants from the various countries. who have a quota based on their nationality. Yes. these 900.000 immigrants would now be in the United States of America. We cannot look at this thing as If we were going to a ball game where we had a rain check where it can be used later. because the Congress of the United States in 1917 and 1924 enacted our present basic immigration laws and they had to be used each year or they were forfeited. The Fellows bill today seeks to admit those specified nationalities who are recognized in the bill to the extent of 200.000 and it mortgages their future quotal. It is just like a man borrowing on his insurance policy. he does so because he has an equity in it.
Keywords matched
Immigration immigration immigrants