Speech #810012958

This language was put in the bill to bring the provisions with respect to colonies. all the colonies that exist throughout the world. into a uniform and universal pattern. As the gentleman knows. under present law it is possible for persons who are of the white or the Negro or the American Indian race. and who were born in British possessions. to come into our country under the British quota. about 66.000 a year. In order to make eligible for immigration persons from the colonies in the Far East or elsewhere. who have heretofore been completely excluded because of their race. it was necessary to set up a uniform pattern. A limitation of 100 from each colony was established. That was the reason for the language. It was not in any sense to discriminate against anybody. It was brought to our attention that it places these people of whom you speak under a limitation they have not had before. Heretofore. if they qualified as individuals. conceivably up to about 66.000 of them could come in from the British West Indies under the British quota. assuming none of the quota was used by immigrants from Britain. However. the gentleman will agree. I- am sure. that that was not the intention of the Congress which passed the Immigration Act of 1924. setting up the national origins quota principle. It was not the intention. for example. when a quota of 66.000 was given to the British. because they were the dominant nationality in the settling and building of this country. that their quota could therefore be used by nonBritish peoples from their possessions all over the world. including their colonies. The language merely brings the whole pattern for colonies into uniformity.