Speech #820214134

President. the adoption of the HumphreyLehman substitute would be disastrous to the United States of America. As I shall point out In more detail in the course of my remarks. the amendment would produce forthwith four consequences: First. The opening of the gates to a flood of Asiatics. So fantastic is this provision of the amendment that it is unalterably opposed by all of the major oriental groups. which. incidentally. have endorsed the McCarranWalter bill as a fair and reasonable solution of the problem of racial ineligibles. Second. The destruction of the national origins quota system. which is the foundation upon which is built our protective immigration system. Third. Increase substantially the number of aliens of all races who would be eligible for admission into the United States for permanent residence. and Fourth. A shackling of the authorities who are charged with enforcement of the immigration and naturalization laws. At this point I may say that although the amendment has been offered as a substitute for the committee bill. it does not purport to revise the immigration and nationality laws. as does the committee bill. It does not plug any loopholes in those laws. instead. it would tear huge gaps in them. I may say. too. Mr. President. that the essence of the socalled substitute was embodied In S. 2343. which was introduced on October 20. 1951. and which was carefully considered and flatly reJected by the seven Senators who constitute the subcommittee of the Comnittee on the Judiciary. and who. with a staff of experts. worked on this legislation for over 3 years. Let me point out also that the essence of the socalled substitute was proposed to the sevenman Subcommittee on Immigration of the House of Representatives. and. after careful consideration. was flatly rejected. The essence of the socalled substitute was also proposed in recent weeks to the House of Representatives. which rejected it by an overwhelming vote. Furthermore. the various segments of this socalled substitute measure were each carefully explored in the exhaustive hearings of the joint congressional committee. but. strangely enough. not one of the sponsors of this socalled substitute measure spoke one word in behalf of the provisions of this amendment.