Speech #830100555

It is just so much eyewash. so much balderdash. to say that these people. these honorable Godfearing people who advocated this bill before our committee did so with knowledge that bad people would be coming into this country. Let me read what the President said: DEAR MR. SPEAKER: We are all aware of the tragic developments of the past several years which have left countless thousands of individuals. homeless refugees in the heart of Europe. In recent months. the number of refugees has been increased by the steady flow of escapees who have braved death to escape from behind the Iron Curtain. These refugees and escapees searching desperatel for freedom look to the free world for haven. In addition. the problem of population pressures continues to be a source of urgent concern in several countries in Europe. It is imperative that we join with the other nations in helping to find a solution to these grave questions. These refugees. escapees. and distressed peoples now constitute an economic and political threat of constantly growing magnitude. They look to traditional American humanitarian concern for the oppressed. International political considerations are also factors which are involved. We should take reasonable steps to help these people to the extent that we share the obligation of the free world. Therefore. after consideration of all the points of view which have been presented. I recommend. within the framework of the immigration laws. the enactment of emergency legislation for the special admission of 120.000 immigrants per year for the next 2 years. In order to help resolve this current immigration and refugee problem in the tradition of our American policy. I urge that the Congress give this recommendation its earliest consideration. By passing this bill as the President indicated we would give leadership to many of the nations friendly to us. the democracies of Europe and the Western Hemisphere. They would be induced to follow our lead and receive refugees. Many of these nations indeed have already rendered yeoman service in that regard to relieve distress. to relieve the distress in Europe by siphoning off many of the peoples of Europe. Take Canada. a country with a total population of only 14 million people. since the end of the war Canada took 775.000 immigrants. Australia. a country with a total population of 8 million. has since the war taken 620.000 immigrants. Argentina since the war has taken 600.000 immigrants from Europe. France has taken in 300.000 Italians. Belgium has taken in 30.000 Italians. What about refugees? and I am reading figures which were given to me by Mr. George L. Warren. of the State Department. adviser to the refugee and displaced persons staff of the State Department. The IRO report covering July 1. 1947. to December 31. 1951. states: Australia took 182.159 r~fugees. Canada took 123.479 refugees. Israel took 132.109 refugees. United Kingdom took 86.346 refugees. Argentina took 32.712 refugees. Brazil took 28.848 refugees. Venezuela took 17.277 refugees. Chile took 5.108 refugees. New Zealand took 4.837 refugees. Paraguay took 5.887 refugees. Sweden took 4.330 refugees. After IRO folded. the migration committee took over in 1952. and the following countries took in this number of refugees in the calendar year of 1952: Australia. 15.486. New Zealand. 397. Canada. 8.853. Brazil. 9.797. Other Latin American countries. 4.991. The United States has taleen in around 400.000 refugees since the end of World War IL 195$ The IRO took care of the movement of 1.038.750 refugees in the years of its existence. The United States took in 328.851 of this numbera little less than onethird. The resta little more than twothirdswere taken in by other countries. These nations would do more for refugees. if we pass the instant bill. Our action would encourage them to even greater efforts. The passage of this bill. now. would Involve excellent timing. "Now" is the most propitious time.