Speech #820245028

Only last week I had the honor of attending a dinner in New York of the American Jewish Committee and the AntiDefamation League of Bnai Brith. which awarded me a silver plaque. In the course of my remarks I told the group that I had learned that day. at lunch. that the State Department had recommended to President Truman that he sign the McCarran immigration bill. It had recommended against his veto. I assure Senators that this news evoked a mass gasp of astonishment from that audience. As soon as I could reach a telephone I called Secretary of State Acheson. on the eve of his departure for Europe. to tell him that in my judgment this recommendation was a grievous error. I expressed the belief that the Congress would most assuredly repeal the Oriental Exclusion Act. in which the State Department is so much interested. and that it would be willing to establish quotas for oriental immigrants. This bill has already passed the House in the form of separate legislation. and I told Dean Acheson I was sure that the Congress. if not at this session. most assuredly next year. would pass such legIslation. I expressed the belief that this object could be achieved without paying the terrible price involved in accepting the hundreds of evil features written into the McCarran immigration bill. I told Mr. Acheson that I could only apply the words "defeatist" and "cynical" to the recommendations of a State Department committee with respect to this proposed legislation.