Speech #870197385

Springfield. Ohio. and Boston. In addition. numbers of social agencies and religious groups have scheduled discussion of immigration reform as proposed in S. 3043 in their local. regional. and national meetings. These demonstrations of interest in immigration reform throughout the Nation indicate clearly that Congress should prepare for consideration of immigration policy revision in the near future. Public discussion of S. 3043 has already crystallized support in several important sectors of the national community. On April 14. 1962. Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath. president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. urged support of immigration reform as proposed in S. 3043 to a conference in Lakewood. N.J. Rabbi Eisendrath stated: In the coming weeks that struggle will enter a new phase in this country. We will be challenged to cleanse our American immigration laws of the stain of racism. How odd it is that. amidst the progress and ferment of recent years in tearing down racial barriers in education and housing and transportation. we have failed utterly to come to grips with our basic immigration law which has been correctly described as the most racist law in American history. It is based on the reprehensible national origins system which declares that some people are better. on racial grounds. than others. It is based on doctrines of racial supremacy which the people of the world deeply resent and which modern science has completely exploded. For our immigration policy is the face we present to the world. And. right now. it is a harsh. suspicious. patronizing. and super* cilious face. In recent weeks a farreaching. new proposal has been presented to the U.S. Con* gress by Senator PHILnP HART. of Michigan. and some 20 other Senators of both political parties. It would eliminate the nationalorigins quota system. It would restore our American humanitarian tradition of welcome and hospitality to the stranger. I call upon President Kennedy. who pledged himself before his election to basic liberalization of our immigration law. to throw the full weight of his prestige and moral leadership behind this effort. And please recall that both of our political parties and all three of our major faith groups in America have called for basic revision of the McCarranWalter Immigration Act. Let our synagogues and churches alike. through effective social action now stimulate study. debate. and action on this vital issue in every community. For the stark truth is this: We cannot eliminate racism at home and continue to practice it. however subtly. abroad. We cannot dissociate ourselves from colonialism. as we are correctly seeking to do. until we dissociate ourselves from the smug and arrogant attitudes of superiority by which we draw invidious distinctions among the various colors. nations. and races of the world in our immigration quotas. And we cannot successfully compete with the Communists for the loyalties of the peoples of the world. until the United States stands before the world. as historically we always did. as a free nation of immigrants. a haven for the oppressed. an open society. generous and compassionate. which judges all human beings within and beyond our borders only on the basis of character and individual worth. In a letter dated April 28. 1962. Bishop Edward E. Swanstrom. executive director of Catholic Relief Services of the National Catholic Welfare Conference. wrote me: I think you have already been given assurance that both of our organizations stand strongly behind S. 3043 and will do everything within our power to secure the grassroots support that It will undoubtedly require for passage. On April 30. 1962. James MacCracken. director for immigration services. Church World Service. National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America wrote me: We are commending to interested Protestant church leaders across the United States the substance of S. 3043 for their study and possible active support.