Speech #850150049

First I should like to make a general observation. I am deeply convinced that we are faced not only with the crisis of defense. in connection with which we must catch up in missiles and rocketryand unquestionably we willbut that we are also faced with the crisis of our relations with the world. These relations not only go to weaponry. but also go to immigration. There are tens of thousands of escapees from behind the Iron Curtain. generally young and desirable persons. similar to the Freedom Fighters from Hungary. What they want to know before they escape. and after they get out. and what the legion of others who are left behind. who might want to escape. want to know. is what will happen to them when they get out. This depends very largely upon the direction the free world will take due to the leadership implications of the immigration policy of the United States. I think that I and many others. in the United States. were deeply disappointed that Congress in the last session did not legalize the status of the Freedom Fighters. the Hungarian refugees who came to the United States. They still remain here. over 25.000 of them. as parolees. A commission of the International Rescue Committee. a distinguished volunteer organization. has recently returned from abroad. under the chairmanship of a man I know very well. Harold Zellerbach. president of the municipal art commission of San Francisco and a leading businessman. He came back and reported there were almost 200.000 refugees. many from Yugoslavia. who are living in camps in free Europe. very unhappy and frustrated in their desire to participate in the blessings of freedom. simply because there is no leadership in terms of the resettlement of those refugees. So the second point is. What are we going to do about a permanent policy of the United States to give the leadership which has always been necessary to solve this problem. as it was in the case of the DPs and the refugees? What leadership will be given to bring about the resettlement of the persons who are escaping from behind the Iron Curtain because of persecution? Finally. the McCarranWalter Act itself is widely considered throughout the world as having many unjust and discriminatory features. particularly against persons whose skin is yellow or black. I hope we will take a look at that situation. not only in terms of whether our immigration law needs to be changed. but in terms of the very salient fact that this matter. too. represents a vital element in the present crisis in defense and the crisis of survival which the free world faces. Under the McCarranWalter Act. about 75.000 quota numbers are set aside for persons whose skills are needed in the United States. As a matter of fact. in the last year the Commissioner of Immigration. General Swing. reported that only about 5 percent of those numbers were used. In short. this does not represent any viable aspect of the law of the United States. it simply indicates the impracticability of the law. because of it thousands of immigrants who are desirable for our national interest. who could come in under the leadership role I have described. are barred from the United States. In the light of those views. which I hold very deeply. and which I share. I believe. with others in the Chamber. I wish to address a few questions to the chairman of the committee. I do not want to detain the Senate or the chairman very long. Can the chairman advise me as to a statement on page 3 of the justification in the report made to the Committee on Rules and Administration. which reads: The staff of the subcommitteeTo wit. the Subcommittee on Immigration and Naturalizationmust continue to study the Immigration and Nationality Act in order to insure fair and effective interpretation and administration of that act. Will the Senator advise me whether any reports are issued upon those studies. or whether any are contemplated?