Speech #820213987

Estonia. and other countries. They were disregarded. That act was a deliberate and successful attempt to confine. in large part. immigration into the United States to natives of the countries of northern Europe. Of course. I realize that the immigrants from those countries have done much for our country. But they are not the only ones who can be placed in that category. Italians and Greeks. for instance. have also done much to build up our Nation. So have Lithuanians. Rumanians. and Hungarians. as well as many persons from the oriental countries. As a result of that policy. which was adhered to. nearly 80 percent of the 154.000 persons admitted under the quota system to the United States each year came from the countries of Northern Europefrom Great Britain. northern Ireland. southern Ireland. Holland. Belgium. and Franceand only approximately 20 percent came from the other countries of Europe.