Speech #820207224

And her population is increasing at the rate of 450.000 people every year. While improvements in agriculture and industry are making headway and the country is producing more than ever before. the continued growth of the population places greater demands upon the Italian economy. A substantial increase in emigration is. therefore. regarded as an important part of the answer to Italys plight. Mr. Speaker. the United States is in a position to contribute much toward a solution of Italys overpopulation problem through the absorption of some of this surplus population. This is desirable not only from the humanitarian standpoint. but also because of our own enlightened selfinterest. The Italian people are known for their industriousness. diligence. and ingenuity. Much of the wealth and progress achieved by our country in the past century is due in large measure to the continuous infusion into our life stream of such immigrant peoples as the Italians. the Irish. the Jews. the Scandinavians. and others. It would be a grievous and unpardonable mistake on our part to deprive this country of the skill and productive capacity which an increased immigration from Italy could make available to us. We need more manpower for our defense program. for our civilian production. and for our farms. It has been estimated that the United States has the need and the capacity to absorb 10.000.000 immigrants during the next two decades. which would serve as a great boon to our economy. to the continued development of our resources. and to our productive capacity. Mr. Speaker. because of the grave economic and social problems in Italy. that countrys difficulties which stem from overpopulation. our own past experience with the great contribution made by Italian immigrants to Americas growth. and our presentday needs in industrial and agricultural production. I introduced a bill on March 19 calling for the admittance of 50.000 immigrants from Italy during the next 5 years. These immigrants are to be admitted outside the quota limitations. at the rate of 10.000 per year. I should like to call to the attention of my colleagues the fact that under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948. as amended. we allowed some 54.000 ethnic Germans to enter this country so as to help relieve the overpopulation of Germany when its population was greatly increased after the war by the socalled expellees of German origin who were forced to leave those European countries in which they lived. We should do no less for Italy by taking in a similar number of people from that country. which is today one of our stanchest allies in Europe.