Speech #810251557

I filed with the Senate the conference report and the statement of the managers on the part of the Senate on the bill to amend the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. I should like at this time to make a few observations with reference to the legislation and particularly to clarify my position. As chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. which has jurisdiction over immigration legislation and as chairman of the Special Subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary to consider displaced persons legislation. I was greatly disturbed because of the fragmentary informatioln which had come to the attention of the subcommittee about 1 year ago which indicated that there was maladministration of our displaced persons program. On the basis of this fragmentary information I concluded that it was my duty to investigate the administration of the displaced persons program and I therefore. during the fall of 1949. accompanied by members of my staff. made an onthescene investigation in Europe of the displacedpersons program.