Speech #830100518

Who built America? We who are fa-: miliar with American history know the answer. America was built by the 40 million immigrantsand their descendantswho came to our shores since the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. Our growth has not stopped and our growth must not stop. To stop growing is to stagnate. We are still a vigorous and growing Nation. Our frontiers. in a geographic sense. may not be expanding but the economic. social. and other benefits available to us. the descendants of immigrant forefathers. are constantly expanding. Our great and phenomenal national development stands witness to the wisdom of our longcontinuing belief in immigration. The genius and industry of immigrants of every race and from every quarter of the globe has. in a large measure. contributed to the growth and development achieved by us as a Nation. The story of the loyal. devoted. industrious and imaginative immigrant is the story of America. It was the brain. the strength. and the toil of the immigrant which helped to settle our land. to advance our agriculture. to build our industry. to develop our commerce. and to produce new inventions. and. in general. to make us the leading Nation that we now are. There are some who would oppose immigration because many immigrants are penniless when they arrive at our shores. It is true that the immigrants may. not bring wealth in their baggage. but in their skills. their trades. and their willingness to work. immigrants have brought wealth to the United States measured in many billions of dollars. Historically speaking. therefore. immigration has supplied much of the brain and brawn. the human resources that have created our Nation. its strength. its spirit. and its wealth. And let us not forget that this manpower has come to America when and where that manpower was in demand to build up America and to raise its standard of living. There are some who hold the view that Immigration has. of itself. caused depression and unemployment. This is not true. Our history reveals that the new immigrant has helped to enrich the native descendants of earlier immigration. I am confident that when the history of this day is written. it will recordthat our favorable action today has enriched our Nation and has added to its luster and its glory. . I am happy to report that I wholeheartedly supported H.