Speech #830100512

Our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are deeply concerned with this migration movement since surplus populationrefugees and expelleesmust of necessity create serious economic. social. and political strains for our Western European allies. which encourage the growth of communism. These allies cannot manage the problem alone. Their resources are limited and only with the aid of adequate emigration opportunities can the population pressures in their areas be reduced to a point where these communistic trends are lessened. The immigration program provided for in the bill before us seeks to solve the problem as well as to provide the safeguards necessary for our national security by providing for a careful screening process more rigorous than that which applies under normal immi� gration procedures. Furthermore. the proponents of the bill have made applicable the McCarranWalter bill in order to protect the American labor market from undue overcrowding. They have also incorporated in the bill requirements assuring employment and housing provisions. further designed to protect the domestic economy and social v~elfare of the United States. The bill prohibits the issuance of visas or the admission into the United States of those believed by our consuls abroad to be ineligible for admission or subject to exclusion under any provision of our immigration laws as well as of this bill. President Eisenhower asks the enactment of this bill in the national interest. That its passage will be in the national interest is selfevident. I have pointed out that overpopulation with its consequent unemployment and economic instability and social unrest is the foremost breeding ground of the evil we seek to uprootthe greatest evil in the world todaythe evil which alone seeks to prevent a free world and is a bar to world peacethe evil of communism. The passage of this bill. in addition. will be a great humanitarian gesturea light of hope for those who have fled the terrors of communistic frontiers to seek their freedom. For purely humanitarian reasons and to continue the traditions upon which America was foundedfreedom from tyrannyand refuge for the oppressedwe should lead the way for the other members of NATO to follow so that they might be encouraged to make even greater efforts to increase their level of immigration from Europe. The world looks to America for leadership in alleviating the ills of the oppressed because America is the best equipped to do so by reason of its size and experience. America has always blueprinted the program for freedom. peace. and justice for all people everywhere.