Speech #870035830

at the "Consultation on Immigration Policy." held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. D.C.. on April 13. 1961. Mr. WALTERS address is as follows: Mr. Chairman. ladies. and gentlemen. in looking at this fine and impressive gathering. I realize. of course. that you. ladies and gentlemen. are primarily interested in the humanitarian aspects of immigration. I believe it to be my task. however. to propound to you a few thoughts and observations in behalf of those who. in assuming their seats in the Congress. have undertaken obligations and responsibilities toward the American Nation as a whole rather than toward specific groupings. or shadings of public opinion. as much as those segments of our citizenry may be deserving of respect for their motivations and activities. Historically. migratory movements were prompted by the desire to find better living conditions. a desire ever present in the mind of every human being and. indeed. in the instinct of every living creature. Migrationbasicallywas the search for a more suitable climate. or for more abundant food. or for a drier place upon which to erect a dwelling. Migration still Is the same. allowing. of course. for some other desires generated by modern progress. The free and unfettered stream of immigrants who founded a new nation on these shores had all of these. and one more desirethe search for freedom. Thus. implicitly. the phenomenon of migration is a composite of economic. social. and political elements. It Is the presence of these three elements in the problem of immigration that prompts sovereign nations to establish laws. rules and regulations determining the size of the foreign influx and discerning the quality of the migrant. It Is the "how many" and "who" is coming that the law is concerned with. These two fundamental criteria rest at the base of immigration policies and laws of every country of the world. just as much as they constitute the two cornerstones of our laws. It is not necessary. of course. to stress before this enlightened gathering that the economic. social and political conditions of the world are not static. They change and therefore immigration laws and policies governing the admission of immigrants must change. If they were to remain frozen. no country would be equipped to cope with the changing aspects of the problem. the vital importance of which could probably be best Illustrated by comparing it with the Injection or infusion of foreign blood Into the veins of a living creature. What are the changes in the worlds conditions that must fashion our judgment at this time? It becomes gradually evident that in the second half of the 20th century immigration is no more a practical remedy for overpopulation of one country or another. Industrialization. technological progress and economic growth have made appraisals of economic conditions based on density of population completely inaccurate and as obsolete as horse and buggy in jet age. This conclusion is sustained by but one glance at what is occurring in the highly industrialized countries of Europe. Germany. overpopulated to a degree of actual crowding. imports hundreds of thousands of workers from Italy and Greece. in addition to providing employment to the refugees from the East. streaming in at the rate of approximately 1.000 per week. The density of population of industrialized Belgium is the highest in the entire world but Belgium. similarly. imports additional workers. Demands for resettlement opportunities overseas. very vociferous in Holland up to about 2 years ago. have all but disappeared in that overpopulated country due to the exceedingly fast pace of its industrial development.